The Other Side of Paradise
by Nyneve
Summary: *Sequel To "The Pulse"* A year has gone by. The senshi who bear the Bio shards have changed drastically. The eternal sleep of the Thanatos bearers has been interrupted. Will they meet again?
1. Paradise or Not

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 1

Author: Nyneve, Nyneve, Nyneve (Say it 3 times fast…if you can pronounce it)

Hello! I am here! With the long awaited sequel to "The Pulse"! Yes, I know it would be until spring, but lets face it. I want to write this story just as much as you want to read it (Come on, admit you're curious)! Anyways, because I am now working on this, "The Search for Usagi" is now being postponed. Once I have finished this story, I will resume work on it. Till then, you'll have to suffer. Keeping up with tradition, since I ended the last chapter of "The Pulse" with a song, I will begin "The Other Side of Paradise" (wow that's long. Better refer to it as OSP) with a song. In Italics will be the lyrics for (Shock! Shock!) "Paradise", by Vanessa Carlton. I found this a very fitting song for what our characters are going through. And without further adieu, OSP!

-Nyneve

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__

Once upon a year gone by

She saw herself give in

Every time she closed her eyes

She saw what could have been

Rini walked slowly down the hall, making sure to be very quiet. The Senshi occupied the rooms down this hallway, and well…she just didn't want to see them.

It wasn't that she was angry at them, or vice versa. It was that they had changed, some how. A year ago they had disappeared to resume a "pulse" that traveled through the universe. Several weeks later they returned, completely changed.

Only Sailor Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Pluto had gone. But something had happened when they were…wherever they had been. All of them seemed more antisocial and hardly ever smiled or spoke cheerfully.

As soon as they returned, Amy locked herself in her lab and refused to come out for days. She wouldn't eat, and everyone doubted that she slept. She just sat in there, with her computers and experiments for company, doing things no one could be sure of. When one of them would catch a rare glimpse of her, they would have trouble recognizing her. The already skinny girl grew even more emaciated and gaunt, and her eyes always looked as though she had been crying.

Mina, on the other hand, could be seen more often. However, she seemed to be lost in her own world. She talked to herself more than anyone else, and in order for someone to get her attention they would have to say her name several times. Her cool, confident manner had changed to a worried and uncertain one. And most of all, she seemed to be constantly mumbling something about "second chances".

__

Well nothing hurts and nothing bleeds

When covers tucked in tight

Funny when the bottom drops out

She forgets to fight…to fight…

Though she too had become quiet, everyone could definitely tell the increase in hostility from Lita. Her angry grunts could be heard as she trained hard in the workout room she had "claimed". Actually, since she started her daily workouts there, everyone was afraid to use the room while she was in it. And since she spent most of the day there, no one ever went in there, preferring to use the room Mina used to use for practicing gymnastics. Even Neo-Queen Serenity left Lita alone now, fearing an angry snarl should she say the wrong thing. Or even worse, on of Lita's "fighting frenzies" as Haruka now called them.

Raye, a lot of people said, had changed for the better. Her fiery temper was all but gone. If she were offended, all the offender would get would be an annoyed glare. She started going for long walks throughout the city and palace grounds, sometimes humming to herself. However, no one was truly comfortable with this. It always seemed as though it were nothing more than an act to make them think she had changed in her core. But now, Raye was a blank wall. No one could see through her.

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And it's one more day in paradise

One more day in paradise…

Making her way to the center of the palace, Rini pulled out her Time Key. It had been several months since she'd seen Pluto, so no one could really tell whether she changed or not. During the short, intermittent visits she made to the palace, she seemed to be the same, silent goddess she had always been. But Hotaru told Rini later that, if you looked closely, there was a strange sort of sadness in Trista's eyes. A sadness that hadn't been there before.

Suddenly, as her best friend's words echoed through her mind, Rini put the key back and decided not to visit Pluto. If her guardian had changed drastically, she didn't want to see it. She didn't want to see her become withdrawn, like Amy, or lost in her own world, like Mina. She didn't want to see her become angry like Lita, or passive like Raye.

Wouldn't anything stay the same anymore?

__

As darkness quickly steals the light

That shines within her eyes

She slowly swallows all her fear

And soothes her mind with lies

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Well all she wants and all she needs

Are reasons to survive

A day in which the sun will take

Her artificial light…her light

Just beyond the borders of Crystal Tokyo there stood a temple. In the temple were five stone sarcophaguses. On the sarcophaguses were five bodies (AN: This is the dog that ate the cat that ate the rat that ate the malt in the house that Jack built!). They were all male, of boys around 17. Each one of them was dead.

In the temple's shadows a monster came forth. It had multiple heads, each with serpents for hair. It's many eyes were an empty black, and blood dripped from it's face. Four pairs of claw-like hands extended from arms covered in dead skin, and it wore some sort of toga that covered its feet.

"So, these were the Thanatos Shard-bearers, eh Night? You couldn't handle them and their precious queens hm?" the creature said to itself. Despite it's horrifying appearance, it had the smooth, silky voice of a charismatic young woman, suggesting its gender. "Well then, let's see if I can use them for a better purpose."

At this, another monster stepped out of the shadows. It was less frightening, but still gruesome. It had the legs of a spider, and three heads all covered in matted gray hair. A pair of fangs could be seen through the thickets of its mane, as well as three pairs of eerie yellow eyes. It too wore a toga, though this one was shorter, and went to what could've been called the monster's waist. A single pair of sharp pincers extended in place of arms.

"What use could you possibly have for them Hecate? Without their crystal shards, they are physically powerless," it asked. Amazingly, the monster had the voice of a young boy. The female laughed and patted him fondly on the head.

"Janus, you never miss a thing, do you? You are correct. They lost their power before they could even unlock it. But no. I intend to use them for a different purpose. With their help, I shall end the dynasty of the Moon!" she laughed. Still smiling, she approached the five corpses. 

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And it's one more day in paradise

One more day in paradise

It's one more day in paradise

One last chance to feel all right…all right

"Awaken, children, from your eternal sleep. I, Hecate, Mistress of Tartarus, command you!" she called.

Suddenly, Duo moved.

"Ow…major brain freeze," he mumbled groggily, then sat up. "Hey where am I?" 

"Have we died and gone to heaven?" Quatre asked uncertainly, looking around.

"Can't be. Maxwell's here," Wufei muttered. Quatre's face instantly paled.

Hecate laughed again, then with a flash of light, transformed herself and the being called Janus into human like forms. In place of the female monster was a beautiful woman with wavy red hair and a revealing navy dress. Next to her, the spider like creature became a young boy of around seven or eight, with curly blond hair and curious brown eyes.

"Welcome, welcome, gentlemen," she said.

Duo shot a cynical glance at her. Under normal circumstances, he would've immediately started flirting with her. But the memory of a certain blue-haired genius held him back.

"Who are you?" Quatre asked.

"I am Lady Hecate, who's temple you are in. This is my son, Janus," she introduced the boy next to her.

"What happened? One minute I remember Lita pulling me into the river, next…" Wufei trailed off. The rest was all black.

"Isn't it obvious? We've died. This must be the closest it gets to the afterlife," Heero said nonchalantly.

"No, my friends. This is no afterlife. This is real, true life. I have brought you back from your dark slumber," Hecate explained.

Duo looked at her suspiciously. "Why? If you're after those Thanatos Crystal Shards…"

"No, no," Hecate laughed. "I am quite aware of the situation as far as _that_ is concerned. I have brought you here for another purpose. But first, we must attend to your wounds."

At that moment, their bodies seemed to truly wake up. Frostbite, various sorts of burns, and bleeding set in.

"Janus, bring them water. Be quick now!" Hecate's voice was momentarily sharp as the boy dashed off. Slowly, she approached them and touched Quatre's burned face. Her hands seemed cool at first, but then became icy. The blond shuddered nervously.

"Yes, yes you'll do fine for my first action. What is your name?" she asked silkily. The others could only watch helplessly. The pain grew worse with each passing second.

__

Don't pretend to hold it in just let it out

Don't pretend to hold it in just push it out

Don't you try to hold it in just let it out and

Don't you try to hold it in you hold it in

"Tell me, boy. I won't hurt you," Hecate said silkily. Quatre just shuddered again then closed his eyes, as if the woman in front of him could hypnotize him.

At this, she turned red with anger and slapped his cheek. "Foolish mortal! If you do not comply with my commands, I will torment you beyond your worst nightmares!" She looked at the others. "And that goes for the rest of you as well."

"Ha. Believe me lady. We've suffered more torment than you can deal out," Duo said.

Hecate opened her mouth to say something but then, a wicked gleam appeared in her eye and a cruel smile on her face.

"Is that a challenge, shard-bearer? Well then, I rise to it," she whispered dangerously.

Suddenly, a tortured scream pierced through Duo's mind. He covered his ears, but it continued.

"No! Please stop! I beg your mercy!" a painfully familiar voice cried.

"Amy?" Duo whispered, then glared angrily at Hecate. "Knock it off! You're just messing with my head!"

"Am I?" she countered. Then, like the scream heard only in his head he saw an apparition. It was a bruised and bleeding Amy, being stabbed over and over by an invisible hand holding a bloodstained knife.

"Stop it! It's just an illusion!" he yelled even louder, trying to block out the screams within his head.

"Even if it is, do you enjoy seeing your beloved Amy dying? Does the sight of her blood comfort a heartless killer such as yourself?" Hecate's words stabbed him like a knife.

"Please, just stop it," Duo begged (AN: Sad sight, seeing the God of Death begging for mercy…).

Instantly, the image and screaming disappeared.

"Now do you understand? I am your sole master now. My power is greater than you could ever imagine. If you do not follow my orders, the vision you just saw will appear before you. You cannot escape me. I have brought you to life, I now claim your life. Do you understand?" Hecate asked.

Duo nodded helplessly.

Meanwhile, a shorter and less dramatic version of Duo's vision flashed through the other boys' heads, except Amy was replaced by the other girls they had grown close with.

Janus returned with the water jug, and gave a meager sip to each of the pilots, on Hecate's orders.

"I leave you now to the night. If any of you leave this chamber, you know what will happen. I shall wake you in the morning. Farewell," she turned and left, her son in tow.

__

And it's one more day in paradise

One more day in paradise

It's one more day in paradise

One last chance to feel all right…all right

All was dark, except for a few dying torches on the wall. All of the pilots were silent for a while.

"What was dying like for you?" Trowa asked suddenly, preferring to ignore the current situation.

"I don't really remember. Raye put one of those scrolls on me, so I didn't feel anything. I'm sure it's good too. She burned me alive," Quatre commented.

"That onna Lita challenged me to a fight before I died. I suppose this means I lost," Wufei muttered, causing Duo to laugh out loud.

"Who'd have thought you would've gone down to a girl?" he laughed. "Course, I suppose I'm on that list too. Still though, I didn't think Ames would really go through with you, you know?"

"Mina almost didn't. I had to convince her it was her duty. But I could barely feel that beam going through me," Heero said.

"It didn't really feel like anything when Trista killed me. I saw the sphere coming at me, and then it was all black," Trowa said.

"Do you think we'll ever see them again? I mean, now that we're alive?" Quatre wondered

"I doubt it. This is definitely not our timeline, and the odds that we're in theirs are pretty small," Heero remarked.

Still though, they couldn't help missing the women that they had grown close to, in some way, shape or form.

__

Once upon a year gone by 

She saw herself give in

Every time she closed her eyes

She saw herself give in

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Well, that's it for now! R+R everyone!


	2. Deliver Me

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 2

Author: Nyneve (NIN-uh-vee!)

Hello, hello, hello. Well, are you satisfied now? The Gundam Pilots are alive. True, they now suffer through a fate worse than death, but we can't have everything now, can we? Well, just so you know I WILL NOT KILL ANYONE OFF AT THE END! So you can read in peace now. Well, just so you know, I don't own the anime. All for now! 

-Nyneve

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Hecate paced the corridors of the temple. On the outside, the temple didn't seem small, but that was because it extended into the deep caverns of the mountain it stood on. Way in the back, there was a small, dank pool of Life Water, a substance that would award life even to the most ancient corpse. Or in this case, young bodies preserved by the lost love of five lonely women.

"Mama, why haven't you told me anything about your plan?" Janus asked as he crept beside her on his multiple legs. Hecate sighed sadly.

"It is not necessary that one so young know the evils of the universe. But I tell you this. A few lives must be sacrificed if peace is to remain for our kind," she explained.

"Lives? Whose lives Mama?" he pressed onwards. Hecate stared at him for a moment, wondering what odd thoughts were going through his head.

"The lives of those who would destroy us, my love. It is merely to punish the world for their sins. That is why those young men must follow my plans," she said.

"But Mama…" Janus was cut off by a cold stare from his mother, telling him the matter was closed.

"Now then, go back and wake them. Then bring them here, to me," she ordered. Janus nodded uncertainly then left her.

Meanwhile, in the main chamber the five resurrected pilots sat on the stone sarcophaguses, pondering their fate.

"So then, anyone have any ideas about how we're supposed to get out of here?" Duo asked boredly, knowing the answer.

"Not if you want to go deaf from screams," Quatre replied.

"Besides, aren't you a little concerned about that onna? And her creepy son?" Wufei pressed. Suddenly, a rumble shook the room. The five boys looked to see Janus standing in the doorway, glaring at them.

"It would be wise of you, as guests, not to speak of your hostess in that manner," he said sternly. "Now then, my mother is ready to speak with you. Follow me please. And be sure to follow directly behind me. Your boundaries are set off in the manners I'm sure you understand."

All of them nodded, understanding the torment that awaited them.

The corridor to where Hecate waited was long, dark, and tortuous. It gave one the feeling that you might turn a corner and find something one may not wish to see. However, when they finally did come to Hecate's chamber, a worse sight stood in front of them.

There was a small, dark pool of water. Reflected in it was the beautiful queen of Crystal Tokyo, along with her family and friends. Five of them stood out in particular: Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Pluto.

Duo glared angrily at Hecate. "What twisted mind game are you going to play now? Are you going to show them dying in front of us for real?"

Once again, Hecate's bone chilling laughter echoed through the chamber. "Something like that. But right now, it's too early. No, right now, I have something else in mind. You see, I have a mission to accomplish. I must punish this world for their sins and set an example for others by killing their precious rulers."

"Rulers? What do you mean?" Quatre asked.

Hecate smiled wickedly. "Are you telling me you don't know? I'd have thought your lovers would have told you. You see, they're queens. Each of their own respected planets of course."

"Then why do you want us? What can be gained by killing them in front of us?" Quatre asked.

Hecate approached him dangerously, smiling the whole time. "You don't understand. _You're _going the be the ones killing them."

Silence. Shock, anger, fear, despair was never less audible.

"And," she continued, "since you seem to be so curious, I think I'll allow you to have the first reunion. But what's more, is you will be killing Mars to warn them of my threats."

Quatre's soft eyes turned hard and angry. "Torture me all you like. I will _not_ hurt Raye in any way."

Just as he expected, in his mind, he heard Raye's sobs and begs for mercy, as she was burned alive.

"Stop! Please!" she cried.

Quatre hardened his will. "I…will not…kill her!"

Hecate took a step back and looked over the situation, then glanced at her son, who was slowly materializing out of the shadows.

"Mama, May I?" he asked, now next to Quatre, whose face was contorted in pain. Hecate nodded.

Inside his head, the images of Raye's torture ceased. Quatre blinked. "What in the…"

A presence interrupted his thoughts and his stomach lurched as he realized what was happening. Janus was possessing his body.

"Get out!" he cried, but it was no use. His eyes flashed the same eerie yellow of the boy's, and he grinned evilly. "My lady, what are your orders?"

"My lady? Come on Q-man, what are you doing?" Duo whispered, not knowing the real Quatre was suffocating inside of his own body.

Hecate ignored him. "You are to go to the Crystal Palace. Find the Queen of Mars, and kill her. Then, leave her body where the others are sure to find her. Return to me when you're finished."

"Of course," Quatre bowed to her.

"What did you do to him?" Trowa asked, anger rising inside of him.

"I showed him the light. My son has quite an influence. Perhaps you'll be lucky enough to experience it. Now then, I have a surprise for you all, but that is later, for a full frontal attack. Quatre, this will have to do for now," Hecate said, tossing him a small handgun, which he caught and stowed away in his jacket.

"All right then, I shall return shortly," he said softly. For a moment his eyes flashed aqua again and a desperate expression crossed his face. But then, he was gone again, swallowed by the monster inside of him.

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Raye climbed the steps to the old temple. Since she had taken her position as queen, she hadn't been able to take care of it. No one had.

Now, weeds covered the hill and the buildings lay deserted for years. The concrete steps were dirty, and Raye's beloved ravens, Phobos and Deimos, were long gone. Or were they.

"How long do you think you can play this little game, Princess?" came a voice from behind her. Raye turned around to see two women a little younger than her staring at her. She smiled at them.

"Phobos, Deimos. So good too see you again," she said calmly.

"She asked you a question Princess," Deimos said sharply.

Raye pretended not to hear. Suddenly, Phobos marched over.

"Forgive me, Princess," she apologized, then slapped Raye across the face. "Do you think you're fooling anyone?"

"I-I don't know what you mean!" Raye stuttered, putting a hand to her face.

"Oh yes you do. You think that if you become this quiet, calm person, your hurt, whatever it's caused by, will go away," Deimos accused.

"Mars, you are our Princess. We've pledged our allegiance to you. You're supposed to be strong. We miss your willpower, and your fiery spirit," Phobos said.

"Don't you dare," Raye whispered dangerously, turning away. "Don't you dare accuse me of that. You don't know half of what I've been through. I would never change to heal my pain, because it will never go away. I've changed to honor someone."

"Who? Who could deserve enough honor to make you become weak?" Deimos asked.

"The one person I loved more than anyone. The person whose life I ended. Go away now, and leave me in peace!" Raye shouted. But to her surprise, her friends smiled.

"Well, I guess the real you still is in there somewhere. Just so you know, we're not giving up. We'll get you back, Princess. We swear it," Phobos whispered, then the two twins transformed into the ravens and flew away.

Raye watched as they disappeared, then collapsed on her knees crying. Moments later, she heard a startlingly familiar voice.

"Why are you crying, Firebird?" it asked.

She looked up into the face of the one person she never expected to see.

"Quatre?" she whispered. "Is that you?" 

"Of course it is," he answered, helping her up. Then, he carefully took her into his arms. "Oh Raye, I've missed you so much."

But Raye was still wary. Then she noticed his eyes. They were an eerie yellow, like those of a cat. She remembered distinctly that Quatre's were a pale aqua blue. She pulled out of his grasp.

"Tell me, _Quatre_, how did you come back to life? I killed you," she asked, feigning innocence.

"Now Firebird, you of all people should know about Death and Rebirth," he answered.

That was it. The only proof she needed to support her suspicion.

"Mars Crystal Power! Make-up!" she cried, transforming. She glared angrily at him. "Who are you?"

Quatre stared at her in shock. But inside, as the real Quatre watched, he was smiling.

__

Good job Raye. You saw right through the lies, didn't you? He said inside.

"Raye, what are you doing? It's me! Quatre!" the body cried.

"Ha. There's no way you could be Quatre. You're either an illusion or a disguise. And I shall destroy you! Mars Flame Sniper!" she let the arrow fly.

Quatre barely had time to move out of the way. He glared angrily at her.

"Fine then. I will kill you now, as my Lady insists," he said, pulling the gun. Raye gasped as the bullet flew past and hit her in the shoulder.

"It's not over yet!" she panted, letting another arrow fly. This time, it managed to graze Quatre's size. He cried out in pain. Suddenly, they heard a voice.

"Quatre! Return now! You are in no state to continue!" the voice yelled.

"Yes, my Lady," he murmured, then glared at Raye. "This is far from over. I shall return." Then, he disappeared.

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Hm…Quatre. Attacking Raye. Odd. Very very odd. R+R everyone!


	3. And the Beat Goes On

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 3

Author: Nyneve (AKA the atomic ion)

Well…here's the third part. *sigh* I just don't really feel like sharing any odd anecdotes today. Other than I bought Tenchi Muyo in Love on DVD over the weekend. Very good movie. Also saw The Two Towers for the second time. I love that movie. And I also watched Endless Waltz on DVD too. So I should be good. Especially since InuYasha and Cowboy Bebop is back on! Yay! Well, I suppose my exuberance shouldn't hold you back from your reading. So, here's Part 3!

-Nyneve

************************************************************************Neo-Queen Serenity sat in the throne room looking relieved. The Representative from the Science Academy had just left, and she was glad of it. For some reason, all aspects of science seemed to escape her. And ever since Amy had become a recluse, she'd had to struggle on her own.

Suddenly, someone staggered into the throne room. It was Raye. Her shoulder and arm were bleeding profusely and she was extremely pale.

King Endymion, who was sitting next to Serenity, immediately went to her and caught her just as she was about to collapse.

"Oh my God! Raye! Are you all right? What happened?" Serenity cried, running to her friend.

"Your majesty…I was…attacked," she stammered, feeling lightheaded from the loss of blood.

"By who? When? How?" Serenity pressed on.

"Sh! She needs to get to the infirmary. Amy can help her from there," Endymion said.

"Of course! Just hold on a little longer Raye! Don't die!" Serenity cried, then dashed out of the room. Endymion shook his head and carried Raye down to the infirmary.

As he lay her on a hospital bed, she looked up at him desperately. "My Lord…Please tell Amy, Mina, Lita, and Trista to come down here. I need to talk with them."

"I will in a few hours. Right now you need a blood transfusion and a bandage. But who was it that attacked you?" he asked.

Raye bit her lip. She couldn't believe it was really Quatre who had attacked her. Not her sweet, innocent Quatre. But still, he had called her Firebird only once, right before she killed him. How could anyone else know?

"Raye?" Endymion asked again. Suddenly, Amy entered.

"Oh my…Raye are you all right?" she cried, washing her hands and putting on her latex gloves.

Raye smiled weakly. It was the first time in months since Amy seemed to have her spirit back.

"Well, you can explain later. Your majesty, I have to ask you to leave now," Amy said, a little guilt in her voice.

Endymion smiled. "Of course. Take good care of her Amy. We can't let the Princess of Mars be hurt terribly."

After he left, Amy gave Raye a glass of water and some painkillers. Then, she took a sponge and wiped the blood away. When the wound was clean, she examined it. A suspicious look crossed her face.

"Raye?" She asked, hoping her friend wasn't too groggy. Of course, who could be groggy after their dead lover just came back and shot them.

"Yes?" Raye answered. Amy stared hard into her eyes.

"Raye, this is a gunshot wound. There have been no guns on this planet since the Great War," she said.

Raye shivered at the mention of the Great War. The War that had left them in charge of the planet. The War that should've been called a massacre.

"There are now," Raye whispered, staring back. For once, Amy was taken aback. There was something in Raye's eyes that none of them had seen since the War. Something all of them had gone without for years. It was fear.

"Raye, what happened?" Amy asked. Raye shook her head.

"I can't tell you. Not before I can talk to Lita, Mina, and Trista too. This will affect all of us," she replied.

"All right," Amy sighed, then went over to her computer. "We'll transfuse the blood in a few minutes. I'll go get the others in about an hour or so."

Raye sighed and lay back on the bed, letting the painkillers cloud her mind.

A few hours later, when Raye was feeling better, Mina, Lita, Trista, and Amy all gathered in the room.

"What's this about now Raye? How did you get hurt?" Lita asked.

Raye took a deep breath. "Do you remember what happened a year ago?"

They all nodded. Who could forget? Going to find the Thanatos Crystal, meeting the Gundam Pilots, falling in love (or gaining a rival), learning the truth, then finally, killing their loved ones.

When they had returned to Crystal Tokyo, they swore never to tell anyone, not even the king and queen about what happened, just in case someone were to find out their weakness. If an enemy found out whom they loved, then who knows what cruel methods could be used to torment them?

"We swore not to talk about it Raye," Mina said.

"I know. But we have to now. I was visiting the old shrine, when I was attacked," Raye explained.

"By who?" Amy asked.

"A boy. A boy who had a gun. A boy who looked just like Quatre," Raye said.

Even Trista gasped at that. "What? How?"

"I don't know. I don't think it was really him. There was something in his eyes. But everything else, the way he said my name, the way he tried to comfort me…it was like he was the real Quatre!" Raye cried.

"So, if Quatre's somehow come back from the dead, what are the odds that the other guys are too?" Lita wondered.

"Pretty good I'd say. Didn't you notice how the five of them were a team, like us? If one of them came back, they probably all did too," Mina replied.

"But why would Quatre attack you Raye? He loves you," Amy said quietly. A single tear slipped out of one of Raye's indigo eyes.

"I don't know. Right before he disappeared, I heard a voice. A woman's voice. She was telling him to return, because he was wounded too badly. He called her 'My Lady'," Raye said. "It can't be him. It's some sort of illusion, or he's an enemy disguised as Quatre!"

Trista closed her eyes. "No Raye. I have seen this. He is indeed your Quatre. The others have come back too. But…"

"But? But what?" Lita urged.

"I don't know. Everything has become cloudy. I do not know why or how they have come back. Except they are no longer on our side. We cannot trust them," she said.

They were all silent.

"If they aren't on our side, then they pose a threat to us. And if they pose a threat to us, then they pose a threat to Neo-Queen Serenity, King Endymion, and Small Lady. We have to tell them," Amy said.

The others nodded in agreement.

The next day, Serenity, Endymion, and Rini were walking in the gardens with Neptune, Uranus and Saturn when they saw the other five Senshi approaching.

"Raye! Your arm looks much better. How are you feeling?" Serenity asked.

"Fine, Your Highness. But there is something we have to tell you," Raye said.

"We've been keeping this secret to ourselves now for a year. But we have to tell you now," Mina replied.

Hotaru took Trista's hand. "This has to do with what happened when you went away, isn't it?"

She nodded, then they went on to explain their story.

At the end, Serenity was crying. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea why you'd all suddenly changed. Now I know it's because you've been hurt terribly."

"Trista, you really loved someone?" Amara asked, shocked. Michelle whacked her shoulder lightly.

"Don't act like it's completely impossible," she snapped. Amara rubbed her shoulder.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Anyways, the important thing is, Quatre threatened to return later. I think they're planning to attack us," Lita said.

Endymion closed his eyes and thought hard. "You said that the Gods of Time had addressed them as Gundam Pilots."

"Yes. Not that we have any idea of what a Gundam is," Raye remarked.

Endymion opened his eyes. "I see. Follow me. If they're planning to attack, we need to prepare," he said, leading them towards a large, abandoned hangar.

************************************************************************

"What happened to you?" Duo asked as Quatre entered. Not that he really cared. Ever since he had seen Quatre betray his friends, it made no difference whether he lived or died (AN: None of them have it completely figured out that Quatre's been possessed).

Quatre just continued to walk on. Waiting ahead was the triumphant form of Janus. The boy had been gloating ever since he succeeded in gaining control of Quatre's body. Now, he went around making threats to do the same to the others.

"Oh my. Quatre, you've been hurt," Janus said, grinning. He knew that deep inside the real Quatre was still conscious and aware of what he'd tried to do. But still, the possessed Quatre said nothing.

Janus shrugged, then glanced over at the other four pilots, who were watching him warily from their sarcophaguses. "My mother wishes to see you now. She has a gift in store for the five of you."

The five men followed the boy down the corridor to a different chamber. This one opened up to the top of a hill, where Hecate was waiting.

"Hello then. Quatre, I hope you haven't been hurt too terribly?" she asked.

"I am fine, My Lady. Nothing more than a minor burn," he answered.

"Good. Now then, I believe you are all ready for your first mission," Hecate smiled. The five men looked at her.

"Mission? What mission?" asked Heero.

"The mission to destroy the Crystal Palace of course. However, seeing as it takes great amount of power to do so, the five of you cannot do it on your own. So, I've provided you with help," she raised her hands then turned towards the very top of the hill.

The five Gundam materialized. All were in perfect condition, and looked as if they had never fought a battle.

"Natal…" Wufei murmured, slowly approaching. To everyone's surprise, Hecate made no move to stop him.

"Go on. These were created for fighting, were they not? That is all I ask of you," she said. "To fight the enemy of this world, Neo-Queen Serenity."

"Enemy? Open your eyes Hecate. It's true we know nothing about this world, but anyone can see this is not a place of war and suffering," Heero said, looking off in the distance at the city. "Serenity has done her best to bring peace to this place. And she's done a better job than anyone I have ever seen."

A single, angry scream echoed through his head, undoubtedly Mina's.

"You know nothing of this world. I am not fighting to attain peace, I am fighting for the justice all of my kind deserve. Serenity has deprived us of that. That is why she is my enemy," Hecate said dangerously.

"Heero," Duo whispered into his friend's ear. "I have an idea. Let's go along with this. We might be able to warn the queens. Maybe we can even figure out what Hecate's trying to do."

"Now then, you'll find civilians are quite rare in this city. Don't worry about them. I want you to kill as many at the palace as physically possible. Then destroy the palace. If you try any tricks, you'll regret it," she threatened.

The five pilots nodded, then boarded the Gundams.

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Well, all for now! R+R! Buh-bye!


	4. Return to the Battlefield

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 4

Author: Nyneve (You know me, you love me)

Okay, before I do anything that has any microscopic connection with the story, I have a request. *deep breath* PLEASE READ THE SOVEREIGN OF SELENITY'S STORIES! There. That was a favor for my friend. She is very depressed because no one reads her stuff. Please make her feel better and read it and review it. For me? Oh thanks. Well anyways, this should be a cool chappie. Lots of giant robot battling. OOPS! WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT! Well, I'll continue now so that I don't give anymore away. Don't own the anime. 

-Nyneve

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A rumble sent a tremor over the palace grounds.

"What was that?" Rini asked. "An earthquake?"

"No. Come on, all of you. Hurry up. Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, Pluto. Get down to the hangar. Now," Endymion said sternly. The four of them nodded and sprinted off towards a wing of the palace. Serenity shot him a confused puppy look.

"Hangar? Since when did we have a hangar?" she asked. "And what's inside of it?"

She didn't get an answer. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion coming from the palace itself. Five giant robots were approaching, and firing on it.

"Oh… my… God," Mina cried, staring in awe at them. However, a scream interrupted.

"Endymion! Are those Mobil Suits?" Serenity cried. Endymion nodded.

"Gundams. Made out of Gundamium alloy. We need to get inside now," he said.

"But what about the Outers?" Lita asked, grabbing Rini's hand and breaking off at a run along with everyone else.

"Don't worry they'll be fine. Hurry!" the king yelled. The seven of them darted inside. Endymion led them down a dead end hall. There, he opened up a panel of the wall where a keypad was hidden.

"What the…" Rei started, but paused as the entire wall opened up revealing a command center.

"Amy and Mina, use the communications computers to see if you can get a hold of the outers. Lita, you watch over the cameras. Rei, keep your eyes on Serenity and Rini," Endymion ordered. The girls nodded, then did as he said.

"Mommy, what's going on? Are those Mobil Suits trying to destroy the palace?" Rini asked.

"Honey, I don't know. Endymion, please tell me what's going on!" Serenity cried.

Suddenly, the huge black screen in front of them lit up. In each corner was a smaller box showing the faces of Pluto, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus.

"Everyone okay?" Amara asked. She was in a cockpit of some sort. To Serenity's horror, it was that of a Mobil Suit.

"Endymion! Where are they?" she shrieked. By now, she had grabbed onto her husband's collar and looked as though she were about to strangle him.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Serenity. I broke your law."

"Law?" she asked.

"Your anti-weapons law. I stole four Mobil Suits and hid them. Then I trained the Outers to pilot them," he explained. Serenity looked shocked.

"You, did that? You went behind my back?" she whispered.

"I'm so sorry…" he murmured.

She shook her head. "We'll talk later. Right now I'm glad that we have some way to retaliate. Just do what you have to do."

Endymion nodded, then turned to the screen.

*******************************************************************************************

"So then, I wonder where the girls are…" Duo muttered. Suddenly, he heard a voice in the back of his head. To his disgust, it was Hecate's.

"Don't get any ideas, you. I'm keeping a close eye on you especially. You seem to be needing quite a bit of supervision," she said.

"Yeah, yeah," just then, he used his scythe to knock the top off of a guard tower. "There, happy?"

"Satisfied. Get to work," she said.

Duo rolled his eyes and looked up at the sky. "You couldn't even send me to hell, could you?"

Just then, a barrage of bullets slammed into his Gundam. Glaring, he sent a transmission to Trowa.

"You're supposed to attack the castle, not me!" he cried. Instead of a reply from his friend, a window popped up.

It was a woman a little older than he was, with wavy teal hair and kind blue eyes. However, she looked extremely ticked off.

"Um, have we met?" Duo asked, not recognizing her.

"Not indirectly. Tell me Duo, are you being controlled too? Are you planning on going after Amy when this is over?" she asked.

"You know Amy?" he asked incredulously. Again, he was answered by a barrage of bullets.

Meanwhile, Heero noticed that four other Mobil Suits had appeared. One of them was crazily attacking Duo. Another was stalking Quatre and Trowa. The third was locked in close combat with Wufei. Then the third was approaching him cautiously.

"Hecate didn't say anything about them having Mobil Suits," he muttered.

"Are you Heero Yuy?" a transmission was coming in.

He didn't answer, but examined the girl. She was younger than him, maybe thirteen. Shoulder-length black hair, violet eyes.

"If that is who you are, Mina says she hopes you're okay," the girl said, then pulled out beam saber and attacked.

That was the last thing he expected. This girl, knew Mina?

Countering her attack, he sent back a message. "Tell her I am. And that I hope she can forgive me."

From Altron, Wufei noticed that the person piloting the Mobil Suit across from him seemed really calm and ready. Yet there was something about their style.

"Hey! Is your name Wufei?" the pilot suddenly asked, not revealing their face. The voice was low, but sounded mostly like a female's.

"Who wants to know?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is the guy. I'll put you through," the pilot said. Suddenly, Lita's face popped up.

"Wufei…"

"Kino? Is that you?" Wufei asked. She nodded.

"Yeah. Look. I'm not gonna let Amara have all the fun. I wanna fight you," she said.

"This is way more complicated then you think it is," he argued.

"I don't give a shit. You're gonna fight me Wufei. Tomorrow night. Midnight. Right here. Got it?" she ordered.

"Fine. I don't care. I've got a job to do now though," Wufei responded.

"Move it Wufei. Rei's coming out there. She's kind of ticked at Quatre right now. You don't want to see her when she gets mad," Lita warned.

Sure enough, a perfectly unarmed Rei was standing near the last Mobil Suit, piloted by Trista. At the moment, neither the Goddess of Time or her silent opponent had moved.

Rei stared up at them. "Damn, do they communicate telepathically or something?" she wondered. Suddenly, she saw Sandrock towering above her.

"No you don't Quatre. This will not end this way," she muttered. Then, she leapt up and spun around while holding a scroll, forming a tunnel around herself. "Evil Spirits Disperse!"

The scrolls flew off in separate directions and covered Sandrock. Inside, Quatre felt himself regaining control.

Miles away, Janus fell on the floor of the temple twitching. "Mother! I'm losing him!"

"Fight Janus! Don't let that little witch drive you out!" Hecate cried.

"I can't Mother!" he cried.

"Get out!" Quatre yelled. With one last force, he felt the spirit that had possessed him leave his body. His body relaxed, and exhaustion overwhelmed him. He slipped into unconsciousness.

"Quatre? Can you hear me?" Trowa asked. No answer.

"Don't worry Trowa. We'll take care of him. Then we're coming back for you," Trista said suddenly.

Just then, Hecate's angry voice yelled at the remaining conscious pilots. "Come back now. Leave Quatre, he's dead. I have no use for him."

"Why you…" Duo started, but a short vision of Amy drowning shut him up quickly.

Heero looked at the girl he was fighting. "Take care of Quatre."

She nodded. "We will."

*******************************************************************************************

Well, all for now! R+R everyone!


	5. Promises and Messages

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 5

Author: Nyneve (the Sorceress)

You know it, you love it, so here it is. My new chappie! Yay! Anyways, I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get this up. Been quite busy, you know. What with LOTR, school, LOTR, other ficcies, LOTR, and anime, I'm a very busy girl you know! By the way, did you know I'm a HUGE LOTR fan? Anyways, I won't bore you any longer. Read on!

-Nyneve

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Raye sat outside of the infirmary. She'd been sitting there for three hours, ever since Haruka had pulled Quatre out of his … Gundam?

She had to admit she'd never have pegged Quatre as a fighter. Much less one that could pilot a special type of Mobil Suit. But where had it come from? Was it a new threat from the enemy?

A pat on her hand pulled her from her thoughts. It was Serenity.

"How's he doing?" she asked, sitting down on the bench next to her.

Raye sighed. "I don't know. Amy won't let me see him."

Serenity paused, then smiled wryly. "Well, when I saw Haruka bring him in, I had to admit he was pretty cute."

Her friend blushed. "Well, yeah. But I love him for his good heart. If he's been hurt really bad…"

"He hasn't," Amy said, stepping outside. Raye jumped up.

"How is he? Can I see him?" she asked, her hands gripping Amy's shoulders.

The genius sighed. "He hasn't been hurt physically. But something's exhausted his energy. He's in a coma, basically. However, with a lot of rest and recuperation, he'll be fine in a day or so."

Raye let go, relieved at his condition. Amy's words brought some reassurance that he'd be better.

"And yes Raye, you can go see him. He probably can't hear you, but…" she trailed off as Raye walked inside.

Quatre was lying on a hospital bed. He was hooked up to an IV, and seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

Raye smiled, pulled up a chair, and touched his hand.

"Hi Quatre. How are you?" she murmured. She wasn't surprised when there was no answer.

"I've missed you so much Quatre. I almost believed it was you back at the temple. But I'm glad Amy says you'll be back to normal soon," she continued. Then, she held his hand to her cheek as a single tear fell from her eye. "I'll stay here with you Quatre. As long as it takes. I swear to God I will."

Outside, Amy was reading through some data on her clipboard. Serenity looked at her.

"Mercury, isn't their anything I can do to heal him? Maybe if I used the crystal?" she asked. Amy shook her head.

"He's only human Serenity. The power used to heal him would overwhelm him so much he'd die. No, he's got to heal naturally if he's going to heal at all," she explained.

Serenity pouted. "I wish I could do something to help. This is the first time any of you has been in love since The War. I want to be a part of it."

Amy smiled back at the queen. "Don't worry. You will be. Once we get them all back, they'll need a place to stay, won't they?"

"Of course! I'll go have rooms arranged right now!" Serenity cried, standing up and turning to leave. Then she paused, and grinned back at Amy. "Should I put your Duo next to your room?"

Amy blushed furiously. Serenity laughed and walked away down the hallway.

************************************************************************

"ARGH! THAT IDIOT!" Hecate cried, looking up from her reflecting pool. Janus, in his spider form, approached her.

"What is it Mother?" he asked soothingly.

"That bratty little pilot of Sandrock didn't die! Now he's in the hands of Serenity! Not to mention his Gundam!" she yelled angrily.

Janus' face fell. "Oh mama. I'm so sorry. I didn't pull all of his essence out like you asked. I hurried too much. I'm such a fool."

To Hecate's surprise, Janus pulled a knife from somewhere and began stabbing himself repeatedly. However, she made no motion to stop him.

"Well then, just make sure it doesn't happen again. I'm going to go check on those other wretched mortals. Stay here," she ordered, leaving her son to inflict pain upon himself.

Meanwhile, in the main chamber, Duo was staring up at the stone ceiling. That teal-haired woman knew Amy. That meant if he could just escape, he could get in and see her again.

But she'd never take him back. Not now that he'd tried to destroy her home. She could never forgive him.

"Duo," Heero said suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Get out of here now. Hecate's planning another mission," Heero replied in his monotone. "If you leave now then you can warn them."

"But what about…" Duo began.

"You can counter it by focusing on a different image of her. Think about that and the torture will be reversed. Now get going," Heero ordered.

"Okay then," Duo nodded, then began running.

As he ran, he focused on Amy. On the way she'd looked that night he'd convinced her to go out with him. She'd been so happy. So happy…

A few whispers of screams echoed through his mind, but nothing more. Not when he heard her voice, saw her smile in front of him.

A little while later, he found Deathscythe.

"Okay, so all we have to do is get to the palace and warn the Queen. Easy enough," he muttered to himself.

Once he was a few hundred thousand feet away from the temple, he noticed that Amy's face was gone from in front of him. Yet, there was no screaming.

"Hecate's probably too busy torturing the others to deal with me," he thought, a little pang of guilt in him.

Inside of the palace, Amy was the last one up. As she typed on her laptop, a window popped up.

INCOMING TRANSMISSION

She stared oddly at it, but then gasped as the connection loaded.

"Amy?" Duo asked uncertainly. She stared at him.

"Duo…is that you?" she asked. He smiled.

"Yeah. I'm waiting outside. Aren't you going to let me in?" he replied. Then, for once his faced turned serious. "Don't be scared, Ames. It's really me. Don't be scared…"

Slowly, she nodded, then closed the laptop and head outside.

************************************************************************

Aw…wasn't that just too cute? Lucky for Duo, he just got out free. Oh well. R+R!


	6. A Traitor Among Us

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 6

Author: Nyneve

Well, here is part six. I'm feeling depressed today. I have officially entered the final stage of my education by registering for high school. *looks around* What? Did you think I was older? Anyways, I don't know if I can stress this enough. READ THE SOVEREIGN OF SELENITY'S FICCIES! She's just as sad right now as me. And you don't want a couple of sad authors, do you? Noooooooooo. Well, don't own the anime. Adieu!

-Nyneve

************************************************************************

The two lovers stood in the empty hallway, holding onto each other as if their lives depended upon it. All of the fear and pain they had ever felt had left, and they were left with a sense of peace.

"I thought…I'd never see you again," Amy murmured, laying her head against Duo's chest.

"Aw, you know me. Can't get rid of me that easily," he grinned, running a hand through her hair.

"Still though, I don't understand how you could be here. How you could be alive…" she whispered.

Duo took a deep breath. "Please Amy. I can't tell you right now, okay? In the morning…"

"In the morning is fine. I'm glad enough to have you back," Amy replied. Duo nodded, then kissed her passionately.

Just then, a light came on. "Amy, shame on you. Fraternizing with the enemy…" Amara's voice said. She and Michelle were leaning up against the wall, staring.

"Uh-oh…" Duo muttered, then carefully removed his arms from Amy's body, and backed away.

"No! Amara, Michelle, it's okay! I mean, he's all right. Duo's on our side," Amy explained. However, neither woman looked convinced.

"That's what Raye thought too. Look what happened to her," Michelle commented.

"Hey, that wasn't Q-man's fault! He was being controlled!" Duo snapped.

"Then how do we know you aren't?" Amara accused.

"Amara no! Remember even Raye said she caught on when Quatre was being controlled. I know Duo. This is really him!" Amy pleaded.

"Still…" said another voice. King Endymion stepped out of the shadows.

"Your majesty," the three women said in unison.

"Your majesty? Is this guy king or something?" Duo asked, confusedly.

"I am," Endymion replied.

"Oh, uh," Duo bowed awkwardly.

"That isn't necessary. Your name's Duo, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's me. Also known as Shinigami, God of Death," Duo replied, causing Amy to giggle nervously.

However, the king too looked amused. "I see. We'll have to introduce you to Hotaru."

"Hotaru?" Duo asked.

"Local Bringer of Death. I think you two would get along nicely," Amy smiled.

"Yes, well. Might I ask what you're doing in the palace? This is a restricted area, you know," Endymion said.

"Your majesty, I let him in. He's on our side now. He even brought his Mobil Suit with him," Amy said.

Endymion raised an eyebrow. "You managed to get a Gundam here without getting noticed?"

"Well, uh…" Duo stammered. "I guess a few people saw."

"Weapons have been outlawed here, save for the powers of the Sailor Senshi," Endymion explained.

"He didn't know…" Amy began, but a warning glare from Amara quieted her.

"That is understandable. Yet, we can take no chances. Duo, I must ask that you spend the remainder of the night under Uranus and Neptune's supervision. In the morning, the rest of us will decide what to do with you," Endymion said.

"Can Amy stay?" Duo asked. Endymion shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. It wouldn't be good for either of you," he replied, then started to walk away. A moment later, he paused, and glanced back. "And Duo, you may be able to see Quatre in the morning, if all goes well."

"Q-man's here?" Duo asked. Michelle nodded.

"He's been unconscious for a long time, but Raye's staying with him. I'm sure he'll be fine in another day or two," she replied.

"All right, come on now. We'll let you sleep in the North Wing. It's the most heavily guarded," Amara said, then glared at him. "If you try anything…"

"Under normal circumstances, I would. But since there's someone waiting for me here," he glanced at Amy. "I wouldn't dream of leaving."

"Good. Amy, you go to bed now. We'll wake you in the morning," Michelle said. Amy nodded, then squeezed Duo's hand.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine," she said reassuringly, then walked off down the hall.

************************************************************************

"DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM!" Hecate screeched as she stared into the pool. Duo had gotten into the palace, just like she had hoped he would. However, the blasted Endymion was giving him a chance to redeem himself. They were going to trust him.

"Mama, please. The angrier you become the less control you have over the last three mortals," Janus said soothingly.

"Yes, I know. Still, if that b****** Endymion hadn't interfered Uranus and Neptune would've killed that wretched boy. Which, in turn, would've probably driven Mercury to suicide," she snapped. "But no. They're just going to keep an eye on him. If he behaves, they'll let him go. Then they'll probably destroy any last bonds of control I have over him."

"But Mama, why don't you just use the bonds now? Make him come back!" Janus cried.

"I can't. I don't have that much power over him anymore. He's too close to the Silver Crystal. It's destroying the bonds," she muttered.

Everything was silent for awhile, and it seemed as though the very walls of the cave were afraid that Hecate may lash out again. But she didn't. Instead, her eyes began to glitter cruelly.

"But, I can still turn the Senshi against the boy," she smiled.

"But you don't have any control over them! What can you do?" Janus asked.

"The God of Death thirsts for blood. He will have it. Oh yes, he will have blood," she grinned evilly, then began to mutter words.

************************************************************************

"Gee, thanks for your kind hospitality," Duo muttered sarcastically. The "bedroom" he was given was nothing more than a linen closet. There were piles of blankets on shelves, but nothing more.

"Would you prefer we lock you in the hangar? I'm sure it would be much more your style," Michelle snapped.

"Now listen closely. We are going to be outside the door, do you understand? If you try anything, even just one move…" Amara trailed off. Her space sword did the talking for her as she fingered the hilt.

"Yeah, I get it. Fine. Can I go to sleep now?" Duo asked.

The two women nodded. Amara gave him a little shove into the closet, then locked the door.

"I have no idea what Amy sees in him," she muttered.

"How could Amy be friends with those two?" Duo asked himself. He sighed, then pulled a couple of towels off of the shelf, and a heavy blanket. Making himself as comfortable as he could in the small space, he put the towels under his head and wrapped himself in the blanket, then drifted off to sleep.

Outside, Amara and Michelle were quiet, sending silent messages to each other.

Suddenly, there was a bang from inside of the closet. The two women leapt up.

"What was…" Michelle was cut off by a louder noise. Suddenly, the door broke down and pinned the two women to the ground.

"He's getting away!" Amara cried, managing to push the door off of herself and her partner.

"Don't worry, he doesn't know the way out or his way around. We'll catch him," Michelle reassured. Amara nodded then reached for her sword. She gasped. It was gone.

Meanwhile, Duo was having a strange dream. He was running down the hall of some military like base, looking for someone or something. Finally, he stopped in front of a door. Pausing, he opened it.

Laying in the middle of the room was a shadowy figure. For some reason, he knew this was his enemy. Grabbing a sword from somewhere, he slowly approached it. But when he was right over the figure, he heard someone calling his name.

"Duo! Duo! Stop it! What are you doing?" it cried.

"Huh?" he asked groggily. Then, he opened his eyes. He was in a bedroom, standing over a young girl with short black hair. He was holding a sword to her neck. On the other side of the room was Amy, and she was crying.

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Please R+R! All for now!


	7. Duel of Dragons

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 7

Author: Nyneve (BACK FROM HIATUS!! YAY ME!!!)

Hello everyone! I am back from my short hiatus, and ready to right. But right now I have a big big announcement. I HAVE CREATED "THE PULSE" MUSIC VIDEO! YES FRIENDS, IT'S TRUE! ASK THE SOVEREIGN OF SELENITY FOR VERIFICATION. If you would like to see it, let me know of a way to get it to you, because it's too big to e-mail and I don't have a web page to put it on (sob, sob). It's actually just a bunch of clips from Gundam Wing and Sailor Moon, with photos of the sky at the beginning and end and lots of credits. However, I enjoy it. But anyways, I won't delay you any further from the ficcie. Don't own the anime. Happy reading!

-Nyneve (No matter what Selenity calls me, its Nyneve. NOT NYN-CHAN!!!)

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"Damn it! I'm telling you I didn't do anything!" Duo yelled as Haruka shoved him down the hallway. He couldn't figure out how he'd ended up in that girl Hotaru's room. All he'd done was gone to sleep.

"Do you want me to disobey my orders and kill you?" Haruka snapped, shoving him against the wall. He had to admit, she was strong enough to probably take down an alligator.

"Hey, if I was trying to break into someone's room, it would be Amy's, not what's-her-name's," he murmured. At that, he felt something hard hit his cheek.

"AND YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM AMY, YOU GOT IT?" Haruka yelled, throwing him to the ground. "I don't know what made that girl lose her good sense and fall for you, but leave her alone, got it?"

"Ha," Duo muttered to himself, standing up. "Might be kind of hard if I'm in love with her."

But Haruka didn't hear him. She grabbed his arms, twisted them behind his back, and marched him down to the restraining area, aka "dungeon".

As she opened the door, she glared at him. "If you make any attempts to escape, I'll kill you."

"I won't abandon Amy," Duo shot back as he was shoved into the cell and left alone in the darkness.

************************************************************************

Raye sat on a chair next to the hospital bed. Quatre still wasn't conscious, and it had been almost a day. According to Amy, he should be showing signs of getting better. But he wasn't.

"Please, Quatre. You have to be all right," Raye whispered, looking again at the screens showing his heart rate and breathing rate. They were painfully slow.

Suddenly, she heard someone come in the hospital room. She looked up to see Amy, dressed in sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, tears streaming down her face.

"Amy? What's wrong?" Raye asked, standing up and putting an arm around her friend's shoulder.

"It's Duo. He came back. He tried to kill Hotaru," Amy sobbed. "Endymion's having him held in the dungeon until further notice."

"Oh, Amy, that's awful! I'm so sorry," Raye comforted, hugging her. "I'm sure Duo would never hurt anyone [AN: Ha ha ha.]."

"He wouldn't. I don't know what's wrong with him. He was just fine around me. Then Haruka and Michiru put him under guard. I guess he attacked them, stole Haruka's Space Sword, and broke into Hotaru's room," she replied.

Suddenly, Raye glanced over at the sleeping Quatre. "Amy, you don't think they'd do that to Quatre would you?"

Amy shook her head. "Not now, in his condition. But if he gets better, they won't take any chances."

"No!" Raye stamped her foot. "I won't let anyone take him away from me! Not even—"

**__**

BEEP!

Raye paused and looked around. **_BEEP! BEEP!_**

"What in the—" Amy began, but froze when she looked at Quatre's heart and breathing rates. They were going up.

"Oh God," she cried, then dashed over to her computer. "Raye, don't take your eyes off of that chart!"

Raye nodded, then darted over to Quatre's bedside, keeping her eyes on the charts and her hand on his.

"Please, please, please," she chanted, almost like she did during prayers. "Please, please, please…"

"R-Raye? Is that you?" a soft voice asked.

Raye screamed and burst into tears as she threw her arms around Quatre. He winced in pain, but returned the hug.

"Quatre, are you all right?" Amy asked from the corner, slipping on her lab coat. She was quite a sight, with baggy navy sweatpants and a faded black T-shirt.

"Well uh, I'm kind of sore," he began. As he did, Raye stepped away quickly.

"Sorry. I couldn't have helped that," she apologized. However, he flashed his heart-melting smile at her.

"I've been worse. A lot worse," he said. "Please forgive me for attacking you. I didn't want to hurt you. Really, I—"

"Sh," Raye hissed, putting a finger to his lips. "Don't say anything about that." It was at that moment she realized that, although his life was returned, her lover now faced an immense danger. The danger that she was going to have to serve.

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Janus gasped as the scene in the infirmary unfolded. "Mama…we've lost him! He's theirs now!"

"Of course dear," Hecate replied smoothly. "I gave him back."

"Gave him back? I don't understand!" he cried. "Now we can't control him at all!"

"We don't need to dear. The Senshi will kill him, just like they are going to kill that impertinent one. Why do you think that I let him go just as those annoying little girls were realizing the truth?" she replied.

"Still, are you sure this will work? Serenity has a kind heart. She's going to pity them," Janus commented.

"It doesn't matter. Serenity values the lives of her loved ones. Too much, I think. That's why she will dispose of all threats to them. Oh, she'll do it quick and painlessly, which wouldn't be nearly as much fun as the way I'd do it, but she'll kill them. She has to," Hecate replied. "And just where are you headed off to, boy?"

She turned around and stared into the darkness. There was no answer. She glared.

"I asked you a question!" she yelled, sending images of Sailor Jupiter being impaled upon sharp spikes.

Wufei bit his lip and fought them back. He refused to bend his will to the demon woman who stood in front of him. Suddenly, he felt something icy cold wrap around his neck. He gasped for breath as Hecate lifted him from the ground with one hand.

"It would be wise to answer your betters when they speak to you. Remember that," she yelled, throwing him down. "Now go and take care of her."

Janus looked at Hecate. "What do you mean, Mama?"

"He's going to fight Jupiter. I'll have to make sure to keep a leash on him while he's gone. If he survives her, and doesn't kill her, he will not be very pleased," she remarked. "Get going."

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Lita walked out of her training room, holding a sharp silver sword. She had bought it herself, and used it to teach herself swordfighting techniques. However, it was her secret that she had done it in Wufei's honor.

She made her way out to the field on the north end of the grounds, where the Mobil Suit battle had taken place only a day before.

Her eyes scanned the area for Wufei. He was nowhere. She sighed, then turned back towards the palace. As she did, she felt a cold metal blade touch her neck.

"I didn't know you knew how to use that," a familiar voice muttered. Lita grinned to herself.

"Wufei, I've missed you ever so much," she said sarcastically. Then, she shot a small bolt of lightening backwards towards him.

He dodged it, and backed away. "You wanted a rematch Kino, so I'll give you one."

Lita nodded. "To make it even, you don't use your Gundam, and I don't use my powers. Deal?" she asked.

"Deal," Wufei remarked, then dashed towards her.

For once, Lita was shocked to find that her skills were nowhere near his. Within minutes, she was on her knees and Wufei's katana was against her neck.

"Fine then. Finish me," she murmured. "That'll prove my weakness."

"Baka onna. I told you last time that I didn't think you were weak," he snapped.

"You also said you wouldn't call me onna anymore," Lita reminded. "Now kill me."

"No," Wufei snapped, then moved his katana. He braced himself for what he knew would come back.

"Idiot. Well, maybe this'll bring you back to our side. SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!" Lita cried. The dragon rose up and paused menacingly over it's target. Wufei nodded and smiled as it swept down and smashed into him.

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All for now! R+R! Also, find a way to get my video and I will support it! Later!


	8. Hecate's Tale

The Other Side of Paradise

Part…um…8?

Author: Nyneve, Lord of the Yogurt Cup!

See? I'm a good girl. Updating my stories like I should've been doing a long time ago. But I'm gonna do it more often now! I promise! Cross my heart and hope for something unpleasant although not painful to happen! Okay, anyways, I've gotten the idea that some of you don't like Hecate. Well why ever not? Hee hee. Well, I hope this chapter clears up some past issues and maybe might even give poor Hecate some fans. Wouldn't that be nice? Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve (Bring me the Yoplait! Now!)

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A fireball flew down the hallway.

"Raye, you're being unreasonable…"

Another fireball.

"Come on Raye. It's not like we're gonna hurt him."

Three fireballs flew out of the infirmary door. It was a miracle Neptune was able to put them out in midair before the palace burned down.

Amy, Lita, and Quatre watched as Raye continued to fight with Uranus and Neptune, who were having difficulty coming within twenty feet of the door. They had found out that Quatre was okay, and were going to put him under guard with Duo, and the unconscious Wufei. Amy had suggested giving him medical attention, but Lita felt he'd be fine once he woke up.

"Um Raye? Don't you think it'd be safer if I just went with them rather than throwing fireballs?" Quatre asked.

"But it's not fair! You're innocent Quatre, and I won't let them lock you up like some animal!" she yelled.

"Come off it Raye. You know Serenity isn't going to do anything bad to them. Hell, they're probably getting lobster and wine down there. Quatre will be just fine," Lita said, flipping through a magazine. After dragging Wufei into the palace, she handed him over to Haruka and Michiru who had orders from Endymion to lock up any of the pilots, save for Quatre. But now that he was almost fully healed, he was considered "a threat" again and was to be locked up.

"Raye, I know how you feel. I hate to think of Duo down there. But it's not going to do any good to turn against each other. Remember it's our duty to work together to protect the Royal Family. That means taking some unpleasant precautions," Amy explained.

Suddenly, Raye felt Quatre drape his arms around her shoulders. She let out a small gasp, and stopped firing.

"Quatre, what?" she trailed off. He gently took her hand and kissed it.

"Thank you so much Raye. You're willing to do almost anything for me, and I can't repay you. But I understand what needs to be done," he whispered. "If I'm still being controlled, I don't want to be around you so that you get hurt. I'm sorry."

Sighing, Raye turned around and lay her head on his shoulder. "I guess you're right. They won't let me visit you down there, but I swear to God I will do everything I can to get you out."

"Really?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.

He gave her a quick hug, then stepped outside, where Amara and Michelle [AN: I know I keep changing the names between chapters. But I assume you know who I'm talking about, so if I change it, don't say anything] were waiting.

"Raye's letting you go?" Amara asked incredulously.

Quatre nodded. "I hope she didn't hurt you?"

"No damage done. Come on, your friend Duo's been asking about you," Michelle said, leading him down the hallway.

He glanced backwards momentarily, just in time to see Raye staring angrily off after him.

************************************************************************

Duo looked up as he heard the door open. To his surprise, Quatre stepped in.

"Q-man! What's up?" he asked cheerfully.

"You three can socialize for a while. We're supposed to meet with the king," Amara replied quickly, slamming the door behind him.

Things had slowly gotten better. Amara and Michelle had gotten slightly less hostile and had shown the decency to leave a light on. However, it was clear that they didn't trust any of the newly arrived boys.

"Nothing really. How have things down here been?" Quatre asked, looking around. The room didn't look much like a prison. There were a few folding chairs and a card table, as well as the fluorescent lights above.

"Just wonderful," Wufei muttered from the corner. Quatre smiled weakly.

"Well, Raye said she was trying to get us out, so we probably won't be stuck in here too long," he said, sitting down on one of the chairs.

Then a box of Twinkies fell from the ceiling.

"What the hell?" Duo looked up. The grate had been removed from the vent up above, and the sound of a giggling little girl echoed down through. Then, he was hit on the head by another box of Twinkies.

"Okay, who's up there?" he asked, setting them down.

"Back up, or we'll fall on you!" a small voice ordered.

Glancing amusedly at Quatre and Wufei, he stepped over to the wall. A few seconds later two girls fell out of the vent.

The first was short, with cotton candy pink hair and luminescent red eyes. She wore a dark blue sweater and skirt trimmed with a red bow. The second was older, and wore an all black dress. Her black hair was neatly cut to her shoulders, and her soft violet eyes held a look of kindness in them.

"If you don't like Twinkies, I think I can get Ho-Hos," the smaller girl said, opening a box and tossing a Twinkie to Duo and Quatre, then hitting Wufei on the head with one.

"Um thanks. Who are you?" Quatre asked, wondering how two girls could just jump out of the ceiling and start feeding them Little Debbies.

"My name's Rini, and this is Hotaru," Rini introduced. Duo paled at the mention of Hotaru's name.

"So you're that girl I almost…" he trailed off. However, Hotaru just smiled enigmatically at him.

"It's all right. I forgive you. From the way Amy talks about you, I know you weren't trying to hurt me," she replied.

"What are you two doing down here anyways? You could get in big trouble if you get caught," Wufei warned.

"Oh, I never get caught. My mom used to be able to catch me, but she's forgotten most of the good hiding places. So now I can go wherever I want without getting noticed," Rini explained, sitting down and eating a Twinkie.

"We came down here because we felt sorry for you. And because we know you're not the bad guys. So we're going to try and break you out," Hotaru explained.

The boys stopped and looked at each other.

"That may not be the best idea. Uranus and Neptune…" Rini waved a finger in Quatre's face.

"Wouldn't hurt a fly. They just like to scare guys. I mean…" she paused for a moment. Outside, footsteps were coming down the hall.

"Rini, we'd better go," Hotaru whispered. Rini nodded.

"Right. But before we do, we wanna know where your friends Heero and Trowa are," she ordered.

"Probably still being held captive by Hecate. But what…"

It was too late. The girls had gone.

************************************************************************

"Hecate? You're sure that's what they said?" Trista asked the girls later. It was she who had sent them down to talk to the boys, and find out who'd been keeping them prison.

__

Prisoner that is, before us. She felt extremely guilty about locking them up. But if Hecate was involved, it would be the best. Her power hadn't dulled over the years, and maybe she was even maintaining a little control over them.

"I see. Now, you two must listen very closely," Trista said seriously, standing up and grabbing her Time Staff. "I am going to go away for a bit, and you can't tell anyone, all right?"

"Where are you going Puu?" Rini asked worriedly.

"I'm going to see an old friend of mine. It's high time we have a conversation," Trista replied.

She suddenly felt Hotaru take her hand. "Please be careful Pluto. These are dangerous times now. We don't know who we can trust."

Trista flashed a half-smile at the younger girls. "I know. But I have faith in myself and in my loved ones. Everything will be all right."

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Hecate looked over at her sleeping son. He was in his "monstrous" form, and every few moments a pincer would open and close or one yellow eye would open suddenly.

"Ah, dear Janus. I fear our time is ending. At this rate, Serenity will destroy us…" she murmured, then remembered back to the first time she had heard Serenity's name…

__

"Lady Hecate! Lady Hecate!"

"Hermes? For what purpose am I graced with your prescience?"

"Hecate, I bring news from Hades."

"My master? What is it?"

"He has Faded, Hecate. As have all the other Olympians save for myself. You are now Queen of Tartarus and Erebus."

"Really? This is most interesting news."

"I'm afraid not my lady. Can't you see that we're all Fading?"

"What? What is this Fading you speak of?"

"Though Gods are immortal, if they are not worshipped they cease to exist. Fewer and fewer people believe in the Gods, and they are fading away."

"Why? We've been worshipped year after year. Why are the mortals abandoning us now?"

"I don't know. They say that faith is no longer necessary in this age. Hope is no longer drawn from the Gods, but from the people."

"That's madness. We give the people hope. What else could they possibly draw it from?"

"A woman."

"You mean a mortal woman?"

"Yes, she goes by the name of Serenity, sometimes called Sailor Moon. In her possession is a crystal that is said will bring peace to the universe."

"Rubbish. Where would this crystal come from?"

"Again, I don't know Hecate. However, you are safe for a while. Your son is as well."

"Safe how?"

"Though Serenity wishes to bring peace, there are those who relish in war. Their hearts are black, and they long for power. These are the people that worship you."

"The evil ones? Well, as long as there is good, there shall be evil, correct?"

"…"

"Hermes, did you hear me?"

"Hecate, Peace for the Mortals is a certain fate. Serenity and her warriors are strong, yet have pure hearts. They will stamp out evil."

"But they can't! If they do, I will cease to exist!"

"That is the tragedy I have come to share. I must go now."

"Hermes you coward! Where will you run to? Come back!"

She shivered, trying to shake off the memory of her desperate calls. That was her sole weakness.

It was said Hecate loved no one. However, she loved living her life more than even her own son.

"Hecate…" a calm, soft voice said.

She turned around quickly, then gasped. Stepping from the shadows was Sailor Pluto.

"My old friend…" she began.

"Pluto? What are you doing here? How did you get here?" Hecate asked frantically.

"You know very well how I got here and why I'm here," Pluto answered.

Hecate frowned, and her eyes darkened like rainclouds. "You will be wanting your man back?"

"I want Trowa _and_ Heero set free," Pluto replied. "However, I don't want to fight you to do it."

"Ha. All those years have made you grow soft, haven't they Pluto? Driven to love by your own solitude. Such a shame," Hecate replied sharply.

Pluto winced for a moment at her friend's words. "I want them set free, Hecate. For my sake if not theirs."

Suddenly, Hecate was in front of her, her blood red eyes locked with Pluto's maroon ones. "I show pity to no one. You must learn that by now."

"But you did once Hecate. You were always in the shadows, but your heart was not always black," Pluto replied. Then, she felt a stabbing pain in her chest.

Hecate smiled as the other goddess crumpled, the black crystal dagger sticking out oddly. Then, she felt something slam her to the wall of the cavern.

Trista looked up to see Hecate pinned to the wall by none other than Trowa. His expression was cold and emotionless as ever, but he had Hecate held so tight she could barely breathe.

Which made it seem odd that she could laugh. In fact, she was laughing hysterically.

"Idiot. You shouldn't waste your time worrying about her. She's immortal, just like me," she giggled.

Trowa blinked and took glanced over at the bleeding Trista, but said nothing.

Hecate continued to laugh. "Fine then Pluto. I'll give you your man. You can spend your lives together. You can watch him grow old and die, while you remain ageless. Then I'll watch you be tormented by your memories and the black hole that was once your heart! I wish you a happy life!"

Then, with the force of twenty men she shoved Trowa backward right into the Vision Pool. Immediately, he began to sink.

"No!" Trista yelled. Summoning her remaining strength, she rose to her feet, ran to the pool and dived in. A moment later, she felt Trowa's hand, then grabbed on. The last thing she heard as she teleported was Hecate's cruel laughter.

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Trowa awoke to find himself on a large bed in a chamber. He was alone, but oddly, felt another presence.

Just then, Trista walked into the room. Thinking he was still asleep, she stood in front of the mirror and modeled the dress she had been working on.

"You look beautiful in that," he said softly.

She gasped and turned around, then smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired mostly. Did we escape?" he asked. She nodded, then sat down on the bed next to him.

"Yes. She won't bother us anymore," she murmured.

"Good," Trowa replied, then leaned over and took possession of her lips.

When he broke off, Trista stood up slowly. "I suggest you stay here. They'll lock you up if they find you."

"Who?" he asked.

"My best friends," she smiled, then walked out.

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Whew! Long one! Well, that should tide everyone over for a while! R+R!


	9. Mina's Tears

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 9

Author: Nyneve da Sorceress

Wow. I am so good. I'm updating. Yayishness (about to be copyrighted, don't you even think about stealing my word!). NYNEVE IS A SAINT!!!! Okay, enough shameless self-promotion. Well, a lot of you guessed right. Our last boy is coming home! Or something like that. Well, I will just let you read on now. Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

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Hecate roared as she was surrounded by hot lava. She found it very soothing to smother oneself in molten rock, especially when your former best friend just took back one of the last tools you needed for conquest.

"Damn that bleeding heart Pluto! Such a fool," she muttered.

"Mama?" Janus asked, popping his head in. "You shouldn't stay in there too long."

"BEGONE INSOLENT BEAST! I HAVE NO WISH FOR YOUR 'OPINION'!" Hecate bellowed, throwing a glob of lava at her son. He yelped and darted away.

"Don't you think that you should be attending to the last Gundam Pilot? He's not going to do any good just sitting around!" Janus murmured.

"As if that matters anymore. Without his comrades, he no good to me. I'll just kill him as an example to the others," Hecate remarked.

"Mama…" Janus paused questioningly.

"Speak boy, or begone," Hecate snapped.

"I'd like to make a suggestion. The mortals call it 'Playing the Psychological Card'," Janus began.

A spark of interest appeared in Hecate's eyes. "Continue."

"The pilot has been trained as a killer. He refuses to acknowledge his emotions. However, it is plain to see that his heart belongs to the Queen of Venus. The plan is to manipulate him into thinking he ought to kill Venus," Janus explained.

Hecate let out a sardonic laugh. "My dear, have you been spending your time under a rock? Is this not the plan we've been using?"

"But Mama! He'll do it! I know he will do it! All it takes is persuasion. Which I'm sure," he smiled slyly, "you can do with little trouble."

Hecate sighed. "Why not? If he doesn't kill her, I'll just follow along and kill them both."

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Mina lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. The guys were coming back to their side. Despite what Neptune and Uranus thought, she knew that they were good.

In a way, she envied Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter. Even if they weren't being allowed to see Quatre, Duo, and Wufei, they could get comfort in knowing that they were at least in the same vicinity. But Heero…

He never said he loved her. He never even said they were friends. All he did was kiss her forehead and instruct her to kill him. What did that mean?

Mina sighed then walked out into the hallway. As she walked down it, she looked outside. Gray skies. Looked like it was going to rain again. It seemed so long since she'd seen the sun. Maybe it was to reflect her feelings.

She paused as she passed Trista's bedroom door. She smiled weakly. At least she could relate to being separated from her loved one.

"Well, if I'm gonna be bummed, may as well be bummed with Puu," she muttered to herself, then knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" came the hesitant response of Trista.

"It's Mina, can I come in?" Mina asked.

Again, Trista's reply was slow. "What do you need?"

"I just wanna talk!" she answered. "What's going on with her? Puu's never like this."

Suddenly, the door opened and before she knew what hit her, Mina was inside the room with Trista standing sternly in front of her.

"You tell anyone what you see and I will throw you in the Jurassic Period and leave you there," she threatened.

Mina raised an eyebrow and looked around. "What's up with y—oh my god."

Trowa looked up at her from the bed, then raised his hand in greeting. "Mina."

"What the Hell Trista? Where'd he come from?" she cried, looking at the older woman.

"I brought him back. And you can't tell anyone, do you understand? Not even Serenity," Trista replied solemnly.

"Yeah, I get it. But you've got to explain how he got here, and where he was before then!" Mina said, sitting down on the carpet and looking up patiently at Trista.

She sighed and sat down on the bed next to Trowa. She then proceeded to explain about Hecate, and her threats, and bringing Trowa back to the palace. But she made sure not to mention her past relationship with her "friend".

Mina listened to every word, then looked at Trowa. "Is Heero still there?"

"I couldn't bring him back, Mina. I'm sorry," Trista apologized.

"So you just left him there with that…demon?" Mina cried, standing up.

"If anyone can survive her, it's Heero. Trust me," Trowa said.

"Where's this Temple? I'm going to bring him back myself," Mina declared.

"Are you insane Mina? Hecate shows pity to no one! She'll kill you!" Trista exclaimed.

"I don't care. Tell me Trista, or I might have to let something slip," she glanced at Trowa.

Trista glared at her. "So be it. The Temple's on the other side of the city. Cut straight through, you'll get there quicker. Get going."

"All right then," Mina replied, then walked out the door.

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Wing Zero flew a few hundred feet from the ground. Heero paid careful attention as he scanned the ground for any sign of Mina or one of her friends. But as he did, the conversation he'd had with Hecate echoed through his mind.

"You are a killer. Emotion is useless. Kill the girl, and I'll let you go free. Not that you will belong in this world. This is your punishment. If you'd prefer to escape, do so. But you will have nowhere to run. Go. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you," she had said.

"I'm sure you will," he muttered to himself, then stopped as he saw something about fifty feet away.

In the middle of the street was none other than Mina herself. "Heero," she called, although she knew that he couldn't hear her inside his Gundam.

"The sooner I kill her, the sooner she stops haunting me," he thought, then carefully aimed. In truth, the woman he feared was not Hecate, but Mina. He didn't like how she could make him feel things, make him doubt who he was. Hecate was cruel and evil, but he was used to these. Kindness and affection were the alien traits Mina was showing.

"You're going to kill me, aren't you Heero?" Mina whispered. "Don't. Please don't."

He closed his eyes so that he couldn't see her, took a deep breath, then fired. As the shot from the rifle hit the building next to her, a wall began to fall. Screaming, Mina darted into the building on the opposite side of the street.

Heero opened his eyes. All that remained was a pile of rubble where Mina had stood. No doubt she had been buried.

He landed Wing Zero and climbed out. However, he did not walk to the rubble. He just stood there and stared at it.

Meanwhile, Mina emerged from the building. She watched Heero for a moment, then walked over and touched his shoulder.

Reflexively, Heero whirled around and grabbed her wrist. He gasped when he saw it was Mina.

"You're alive? But that shot…" he trailed off.

"Heero, if you really wanted to kill me don't you think you would've?" she asked.

"I have to kill you. It's the only way I'll be able to control who I am," Heero countered, letting her wrist go.

She rubbed it. "Who are you, Heero?"

He froze. What had she asked him?

"Are you really a killer? Is that all you think you're good for?" she asked. Her voice cracked as tears slipped out of her eyes. "That can't be true."

He turned away. "It is. Don't waste your tears on it."

She didn't pay attention. "Heero, you're not a killer. You're a thinking, feeling, living human. I've seen so many who weren't, but I know that you are."

"What would you know about it?" he asked not looking at her.

"More than you think Heero. Don't do this. Come back," she cried.

Heero winced at her words momentarily, then returned to his solemn manner. It had to end now. He pulled his gun and pointed it at her.

"Fine then Heero. Kill me. That will show you what it is to be human. I don't want to see you like this. So kill me now," she sobbed, falling to her knees.

He looked at her. He could see her tears falling to the ground even in the growing darkness. Her wind-blown blond hair was swept off to the side, leaving a clear picture of her tormented profile.

He couldn't do it. He lowered the gun.

"I'm…sorry," he murmured. "Get up."

Mina looked up at him. Was he coming back to her.

But as she rose to her feet, a ball of energy whizzed past. Hecate emerged from an alley.

"Figured this would happen. You mortals are all the same," she remarked, tossing another energy ball. "So boy, if you don't mind, I'll just kill you and your precious princess. But since I've had to put up with you longer, I'll start with you."

A spear of black energy appeared in her hand. She aimed, and launched.

"No!" Mina cried, jumping in the way. She felt the spear enter her side just before she blacked out.

Heero was taken aback as he saw Mina fall to the ground. She had just saved his life.

"Blasted girl. Threw off my order. Oh well," Hecate shrugged, launching another spear. Heero dodged it expertly, then picked up Mina and carried her inside the still standing building. After laying her down in an empty room, he ran to the roof, where he was able to get back into his Gundam.

"This is for her," Heero said, as he looked down at Hecate, who was laughing maniacally.

"You think that little thing can—" she was cut off by a loud blast as she was hit. Her body ripped into a thousand pieces and her blood began to fall like rain. A black smoldering patch of asphalt was all that remained of her.

Taking the ultimate risk, Heero abandoned his Gundam and retrieved the fallen woman. He lifted her up and looked out the window towards the illuminated Crystal Palace. This was where he had to go.

************************************************************************

Michelle looked up from her painting as Amara walked in with her hand on the stolid Heero's shoulders.

"So you caught the last one?" she asked. Amara nodded.

"Yep. Guess Venus went out after him. Found him too. He brought her back half dead," she replied.

"Is she going to be okay?" Michelle asked, disregarding Heero.

"Yeah, Mercury says it's just a flesh wound. She'll be in pain for a while, but she'll live. Now, what to do with this one?" Amara asked, pointing to Heero. "Restraints like the others?"

"Yeah probably. Hey!" Michelle looked beyond Amara. Standing in the doorway was a little boy around seven or eight with curly blond hair and brown eyes.

"He killed my Mama! Now he's gonna pay!" the little boy yelled, then cupped his hand as a laser shot out.

"Hold on sir!" Michelle grinned, pulling out her mirror and reflecting the beam. "Are you talking about this man?"

"Yes! Now he shall feel the wrath of—" PLOP!

A laundry basket fell on top of the boy. Rini jumped out. "Yeah! We caught Janus!"

The boy looked up. "How'd you know my name?"

"Pluto told me all about you, and how bad you are. So now I've caught you!" Rini said triumphantly.

Amara and Michelle sighed. Then, Heero spoke. "Kid, I don't think a laundry basket's gonna keep him in there."

"I know. But Pluto said not to hurt him," Rini smiled then removed the basket. Then she took his hand.

Janus looked at her oddly. What was she doing?

"Come on. Mommy will wanna talk to you," Rini said, then glanced back at the others. "Oh, and bring him to the throne room. All the boys are going on trial."

When would it end?

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Yayishness (My word, you no take!). No more Hecate no more Hecate! But we're far from over friends, oh yes, far from over. R+R!!!!


	10. Trial

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 10

Author:  Me

Hi everybody!  Sorry it's taken me a while to update.  I seem to attract writer's block.  Oh well.  At least I'm being good enough to write now, right?  Right.  By the way, it'll be another week probably before I post because of spring break.  I'm going to L.A!  Yayishness!  I'm gonna go to Disneyland!  Oh.  Wait.  I'm still mad at Disney for not promoting Spirited Away enough.  *thinks*  Ah, who cares if I can get Mickey Mouse Ears!  Yayishness!  Well, I guess I'll go be weird somewhere else, and you can sit here and read.  Don't own the anime, as you know.  Byers!

-Nyneve

************************************************************************Serenity walked down the hallway to Trista's room.  All the other girls (and guys) were in the throne room, waiting for court to begin.  However, Serenity had felt they couldn't make a fair decision unless _all_ of the Senshi were there.

When she reached the door, she knocked.  No answer.  Slowly she opened the door and gasped at what she saw.  Trista was looking out the window absentmindedly, while Trowa laid his head in her lap.  Slowly, she was caressing his cheek.  It was as though the two failed to acknowledge the world around them.

"Um…" Serenity began awkwardly.  The tender moment evaporated as Trista snapped her head around and Trowa opened his eyes.

"Serenity!!!!!  Don't you ever knock?!?!?!?!" Trista cried, blushing bright red.

"Where'd he come from?"  Serenity asked, pointing at Trowa.  "He never got caught!"

"Trista brought me here, Your Majesty," Trowa explained, standing and bowing slightly.

"Puu!  How long have you been hiding him here?  Oh Jeez, Uranus and Neptune are gonna be so ticked…"

"That's why I didn't tell anyone.  Now, Your Majesty, will you please calm down for a moment?" Trista asked.

Serenity took a few deep breaths.  "Well, I was coming to get you so that you could be part of the jury."

"Jury?" Trista asked.  "For court?  Who's on trial?"

"Um, Heero, and Duo, and Quatre, and Wufei.  And him now, I guess," Serenity explained.

"Serenity, isn't that a bit much?  They aren't under Hecate's control anymore.  Can't we just…" Trista began, but Serenity put her hands up defensively.

"Look, it was Uranus's idea, and Neptune, _and_ Endymion agreed to it.  Plus, this'll just serve as insurance.  What could it hurt?" Serenity asked.  "Let's go.  Don't want to keep them waiting."

"I suppose," Trista gave in, then motioned for Trowa to follow Serenity.

As she shut the door, Serenity whispered to Trista.  "He's been sleeping in your room?"

"Yes."  
  


"In your bed?"

"Yes…"

"With you?"

"SERENITY!!!!!"

"Just kidding!  Kidding!"  Serenity laughed as the older woman began to blush profusely again.

************************************************************************

"Man, can we get this thing started?  I'm starving!" Duo complained under his breath as he yet again waved to Amy.  She smiled, but didn't wave back.

"Don't you think there's a little more important task at hand, baka?" Wufei countered.

"Hey you two, look!  It's Trowa!" Quatre cried suddenly, as their comrade entered the room with Queen Serenity and Sailor Pluto on either side of him.

Serenity said something to him, then pointed towards the table where all of them were seated.  He nodded, squeezed Trista's hand, then walked over silently.

"Trowa!  Where'd you come from?  Oh I see.  Having fun with Trista, huh?"  Duo grinned.  "How come you got to go up to her room while the rest of us were stuck in the dungeon."

"Duo, don't you think Miss Mizuno would be hurt if she heard you talking like that?" Quatre asked innocently.

Duo blushed as Wufei smirked.  "He's got a point there Maxwell."

"Shut up," he muttered, sinking down in his chair.

"Attention!  Court will now come to order!" Endymion called out, then looked to the five younger men seated at the table in front of him.

"You five are being tried for the attempted murder of the Royal Family and/or Sailor Senshi," he said solemnly.

"Give it a rest Endymion!  They were being controlled!  They're okay now!" Raye yelled out, standing up.  "Quatre would never hurt anyone!"

"Mars, can you be quiet for one second?" Amara snapped.  "We've barely even started."

Raye opened her mouth to say more, but Mina reached up and touched her arm, then gently pulled her back to her seat.  Mina's injuries proved to be only cuts and one stable stab wound.  As Amy had predicted, she was in pain, but could still function normally.

"Your Majesty, can I say something?" Duo asked, standing up.

"Of course!  You're the one on trial, aren't you?" Serenity replied.

"When we attacked you, we weren't trying to kill you.  If you need proof, ask that kid right there.  His mom was forcing us to attack.  And he was the one who possessed Quatre!" Duo cried, pointing at Janus, who was seated next to Rini and Hotaru.

"Janus?  Is that true?" Endymion asked the boy.

"Hmph.  Of course.  I can tell you the whole plan if you want.  Mama wanted to make them try to kill the Sailor Scouts so that she'd have a clear shot at _you_," he explained, with no remorse whatsoever.

"Wait a minute.  Why's he telling us this?" Michelle asked suspiciously.

"Why?  I'll tell you why.  You killed my mother!  What am I supposed to do now?  _I'm_ certainly not strong enough to destroy you.  And you've defeated all of your enemies, so I've got nowhere to go.  There's no point in keeping it a secret anymore," Janus muttered.  But to Rini, who sat next to him, he seemed sad, and lonely.

"It's okay Janus.  You can stay here if you want," she replied.

"Now wait a minute Rini…" Endymion began, but Serenity cut him off.

"That sounds wonderful Rini.  Now you'll have someone else to be friends with.  But back to the matter at hand," she turned to the five boys.  "Now then, the Senshi say you five are on our side now.  Is there a way you can prove this?"

Silence.  What could anyone say?  Nothing.  There was no way to prove it.

Suddenly, Trista stepped in front of them.  "Your Majesty, if you need proof, you may as well ask for proof that you are the Queen of Crystal Tokyo.  Or proof that you are the reincarnation of Princess Serenity."

Serenity gasped at Trista's strong words.  But then, Amy appeared next to her.

"Maybe you want proof that I'm really Sailor Mercury, and not some clone.  Or that any of us are really your friends," Amy said sternly, laying her hand on Duo's.

"Mercury, what are you saying?" Endymion asked.

"The same thing I am," Raye remarked, moving to Quatre's side.  "Maybe you don't believe who they are, but we do.  Because we know them."

"And if you can't believe that, then we are no longer your Senshi," Mina added, stepping out from behind Heero.

The four Senshi looked to Lita, who was still seated next to Amara.  She looked back at them, not moving.  Then, she sighed, and joined her friends.

"The guys may not be extremely friendly.  Or smart.  And one certain one may be extremely egotistical and stubborn," she remarked, glancing at Wufei, who was glaring back.  "But overall, they're good guys.  If we trust them, and you trust us, then you should trust them too."

"Well then, that settles it!  They're innocent!"  Serenity cried cheerfully before Endymion, Neptune, or Uranus could say anything.

"All right!" Duo cried, jumping up and throwing his arms around the startled Amy.

"So then…" Amara muttered.

"What's that Amara?"  Serenity asked her friend.

"Nothing," she snapped back, standing up and putting her hand on Michelle's shoulder.

"Well Serenity, you've done it again.  Saved not only one, but _five_ budding romances," Endymion commented.

"Um, I think we'd better make that four," she replied, pointing at Lita and Wufei, who were arguing loudly.

"Anyways, have you thought about where you're going have them stay?" Endymion asked.

"Why, here of course?  In the hallway next to the girls' rooms.  They ought to be nice and close, don't you think?" she giggled, then bounded over the group to tell everyone.

************************************************************************

There ya go!  Kinda short, but sweet too.  R+R+R!!!!


	11. Shadows in the Storm

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 11

Author:  Nyneve (Shock, shock!)

Hi everybody!  I'm back from Vacation!  It was great!  I love Disneyland!  *huggles Ewok plushie*  Hee hee.  New toy.  ALSO!!! *holds up new Gundam Wing manga*  Great place, that City Walk.  Anyways, this chapter should be long enough to satisfy all of you (I hope).  However, no matter how final it seems, we are nowhere near the end!  Nope!  Got a whole bunch more stuff coming at ya!  Well, here's the chappie.  Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

PS:  Here's a thought for those of you that live in LA; I might've walked right past you and neither of us would've known it!  Wonderful thing, the Internet…

************************************************************************

"Are you serious?  You're really gonna let us live here, Your Majesty?" Duo cried in joy as Serenity broke the news.

She smiled and nodded.  "We could never leave you out in the cold.  And even if we did, I'm sure the girls would find a way to _sneak you back in_."  She coughed then, except the cough sounded a lot like she said "Pluto".

"What about the Gundams?" Heero inquired solemnly.

"At the moment, we can store them in the hangar with the other mobile suits.  That is, until you decide what to do with them," Endymion answered.

"But what about the policy against weapons?" Hotaru remarked.

"I think, in this case, we will leave that up to the pilots.  Even though their Gundams nearly destroyed half of the palace, they have also been used for good.  Right Mina?" Serenity asked.

"Yes.  Yes they have," Mina confirmed slowly, not looking at Heero.

Serenity's expression brightened.  "Well then, would you guys prefer to pick out your own rooms, or should I just put you as close to the girls as possible."

Duo opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Endymion answered.

"No Duo, you cannot share a room with Amy," he replied.

Duo's expression fell, as Amy burst into hysterical giggles.  "I was just wondering."

"Come on Duo.  I have a spare bedroom and bathroom next to my lab.  Come on, I'll show you!" she smiled, taking his hand and wandering off.

"Well, that's taken care of.  The rest of you?"  Serenity prompted.  

"Your Majesty, would you mind if we took a look around ourselves?" Quatre asked politely.

"Of course not.  But if a door's closed, knock first.  I haven't seen Neptune or Uranus, and well…they don't like surprises," she answered.  "And you can call me Serenity, if you like."

"Right.  See you in a while, then.  Raye, would you…" Quatre began.

Raye nodded, and then led him down a different path.  

Heero and Wufei proceeded on their own, while Trowa and Trista headed back towards Trista's room.

"Um, Endymion?  Aren't you going to reprimand those two?" Serenity whispered as the last couple went off.  "I mean, it's pretty obvious we know where Trowa's staying…"

"I trust Trista.  She's older than any of us, and her judgment is honorable.  Besides, if he's been in her room for a few days…" 

The king and queen looked at each other momentarily, then shook their heads.

Meanwhile, Hotaru, Rini, and Janus were standing across the room looking out at the gardens.  The sun was just starting to come out.

"Isn't it pretty?  Why don't we go outside you guys?" Rini suggested.

"Yeah sounds great!  Come on Janus!" Hotaru agreed.

The boy, however, hung back.  "I don't think…"

"Oh, don't be such a party pooper!  Don't you know about having fun?" Rini asked.

"Of course I do!  It's just that…" he trailed off.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.  

"Are you worried about what your mother would think?" Hotaru asked, smiling at him.

"Well, yes," he admitted.

"Janus, your mom was pretty mean.  That's just what all of us think.  But we don't think you're like that.  You don't have to agree, but we wanna be your friends!" Rini remarked.

Janus thought a moment.  He had never really interacted with other children before.  He was always too busy helping his mother.  But she was gone now.

"You're wrong about my mom," he said.  "But maybe, you're right about me.  Maybe."

"So what are we waiting for?  If we don't hurry up, it'll start raining again!  Let's go!" Rini cried, grabbing Janus' hand and Hotaru's with the other.

************************************************************************

"Wow…what kind of video games can you play on this thing?" Duo asked in amazement as he followed Amy around her lab.

She giggled slightly.  "Really cool ones.  Especially when I hook up the VR," she replied.

"No way!  You've got virtual reality! Man, I knew you were a genius, but that you had a big lab/arcade…" he trailed off.

"Yeah.  But don't ever come in here without my permission okay?  I've got too much delicate stuff around here," she warned.  

Duo grinned mischievously.  "Of course I won't.  OH!!!  WHAT DOES THIS BUTTON DO?"

"Don't!" Amy cried, then glared at him.

"Just kidding Ames," he laughed.

"Oh yeah?  I'll show you what's funny," she narrowed her eyes, then walked to her computer.  After a few minutes of typing, there was a buzzing noise and the room was filled with girls who looked, moved, and sounded exactly like her.

"Whoa…how'd you do that?" he wondered, looking from Amy to Amy.

"Science can do anything these days.  Even create carbon-holographs.  So Duo, which one of us is the real Amy?" one Amy asked.

"Wha???" he exclaimed.  Then, realizing his task, he looked at each one closely.  There were about twenty in all, and they had all moved away from the spot the original Amy had stood.  He stopped to look closely at every one.  Some giggled, some stared right back, and a few just smiled enigmatically.

Finally, he grabbed the hand of one sitting on a chair next to a bunch of test tubes.  "Hey Ames," he smiled.

The Amy sighed, walked over to the computer, and made all the others disappear.  "I don't get it!  We're supposed to be identical!  There was no way you could've picked me apart from the others!"

He put his arm around her shoulders.  "Of course there was.  Like you…er, one of you, said; they were just carbon holographs.  You were the only one that still had that soul of yours practically radiating.  It was easy to pick you apart."

She smiled back at him, and laid her head on his shoulder.  "You know what?  I think you're a lot smarter than you realize."

"Nah.  I just know my girl would never try too hard to hide from me," he answered.

Amy laughed softly.  "You're right.  I'll always come back to you, sooner or later," she replied.

"And I'll never leave in the first place!" Duo added.

"Really?  You'll never leave?" Amy asked.

"Nope!  You're stuck with me for life!" 

**************************************************************************************************************************Quatre looked out the window at Hotaru, Rini, and Janus playing in the gardens.  Raye had helped him pick a nice room, not to far away from hers, with a good view of the grounds.  However, right afterwards, she said she had work to do at the Temple, and left.

Outside, thunder rumbled ominously.  Quatre began to worry.  It was a good five miles or so to the temple, and Raye had walked.  If it were going to storm, Raye would have no way to get back.

_Well, I may as well go get her myself.  At least then, if she ends up stuck at the temple, she won't be alone_ he thought, picking up an umbrella he found in the closet and walking out.

On the way to the door, he saw Lita.  After explaining where he was going and why, she gave him a worried look.

"Maybe you can talk some sense into her Quatre.  She hasn't slept in days, and she's barely eaten.  She's been spending a lot of time at that temple recently," she remarked.

"I'll do the best I can, Miss Kino," he replied, heading out.  Five miles turned out to be a longer hike than he expected, and it was already pouring by the time he reached the temple.

After looking in all the buildings, he found Raye sitting in front of a fire in her _miko_ robes, chanting steadily.  He watched her for a few minutes.  It was true.  She was paler and thinner, and her eyes seemed sunken in.  But they were alive, somehow.  Or maybe that was the reflection of the fire she was staring into.

Finally, he touched her shoulder.  "Raye?" he asked softly.

She jumped slightly, then looked up.  "Quatre?  What are you doing here?  How did you bring me out of it?"

"Out of what?" he asked, confused.

She sighed and stood up.  "The trance.  I was having a vision, and you brought me out of it."

"Oh, I'm sorry Raye!  I didn't know…" Quatre apologized.  She shook her head.

"No, it's fine.  I'll try again in about twenty minutes.  Want a snack?  I brought some food," she offered.

"Sure, as long as it's not Twinkies.  I've had about as much of those as I can handle," he answered, following her into another room.  They all seemed dusty, and desolate.  The building looked like it might've been a house at one point.  Closets, and a couple of pieces of old furniture were still in some of the rooms.

They went into a smaller room light with two lanterns, one on a chair and the other on the floor across the room.  A bag sat next to the chair, as well as Raye's jacket and other clothes.

"I didn't know you were a priestess, Raye," Quatre replied, sitting down as she pulled out a couple of sandwiches.

Tossing him one, she sat down across from him.  "Yeah, I lived here when I was younger.  Before I became a full time Senshi."

There was awkward silence while they ate.  Finally, Quatre touched her hand.

"Raye, Lita told me you haven't been sleeping.  Is that true?" he asked gently.

"Well, yeah," she admitted.  "It's not a big deal or anything.  And I'm starting to get the feeling that we shouldn't be relaxing just yet.  That's why I've been coming here every night.  To try and divine things."

"But I'm worried about you Raye!  You need to be getting sleep.  Your arm still isn't healed yet, and you'll get sick with all of this rain and cold weather," he said.

"I'm fine Quatre!" she snapped, then her expression softened.  "I'm sorry.  You know, you're probably right.  But I'm scared Quatre.  These visions…they're telling me we're going to have to fight soon.  That Hecate's not done with us yet."

"Raye, Hecate's dead!  Heero killed her with Wing Zero's buster rifle," Quatre exclaimed.

"Quatre, do your really think a mobile suit, even a Gundam, could kill a being that's lived for over three thousand years?" she asked.  "And that's not the worst part of it.  Right before you pulled me out of it, I heard a voice.  It said history was going to repeat itself, that night shall fall again."

"That doesn't make much sense, Raye," he said.

"Maybe not to you, but it does to us!  In this universe, the most catastrophic event in history took place only a couple of years ago.  If it happened again…" she trailed off.

"What was it?" he asked gently.

She shook her head.  "I'll tell you tomorrow.  After all, tomorrow is the anniversary."

At that moment, they became aware of the severity of the storm.  Even though it had been thundering for about a half an hour, time seemed to stop.

"I don't think we'll be able to go back tonight.  Can we spend the night here?" Quatre asked, looking around.

"If you're not scared," Raye answered, smiling half-heartedly.

"No.  Not with you here," he said, touching her cheek.

She closed her eyes and covered his hand with hers.  "Quatre…I'll always be here to protect you."

"So will I," he murmured back, moving next to her and putting his arms around her.

Raye sighed happily and put her head against his chest.  Moments later, she was fast asleep.

Quatre smiled, and laid her down on the dusty floor and covered her with his coat.  Then, lying down on the other side of her, he too, fell asleep.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Back at the Palace, Lita sat in her kitchen cooking.  Outside, the thunder rumbled fiercely.

"Huh.  I hope Quatre and Raye are all right," she said absentmindedly as she dropped some vegetables into a pot.

Out in the hall, Wufei just "happened" to wander past her open door.  When he glanced inside, he raised one eyebrow cynically and walked in.

"What are you doing?" he asked incredulously, looking around the apartment.

Lita didn't look at him.  "Oh, Wufei, I'm so glad you dropped by, completely uninvited.  Won't you join me and my friend Mrs. Jones for a game of bridge, since that's obviously what I'm doing?"  she remarked sarcastically.

Wufei rolled his eyes.  "You're a clever one, aren't you?"

She sighed and turned to look at him.  "Look, what is it exactly that you want?  I'm kind of busy here!"

"Cooking?  I didn't think a girl like you cooked," he answered.  "Why aren't you training?"

"Excuse me Mr. All-I-Care-About-Is-My-Gundam-And-Annoying-Other-People, but I can have more than one interest.  Here," she snapped, tossing a carrot to him.  "Peel it and chop it, since it seems you don't intend to leave any time soon."

He caught it, then picked up a knife and cutting board sitting on the counter.  He paused momentarily.

"What's the matter?  Are you telling me you can't even peel and chop a carrot?" she asked.

"Of course I can, On…Lita," he answered, forcing himself to use her name.  "What I'm wondering is why you're asking me to help you?"

"Are you really this stupid, or is this more of your bad acting [AN:  Oooh, burn.  And Wufei's down…]?" she asked.  Seeing as she got no reply, she sighed, exasperated.  "Because I don't want things to get any worse between us."

"Huh. It's not like they were that good to begin with," he said, getting to work.

"Well, yeah.  You've got a point there.  But I think there's a good side to most, if not all, people.  And that includes you," she replied.

"The only good side I have is the justice I defend," Wufei stated solemnly.

"That.  And you fight well.  I'll give you that much," she grinned at him.

He had to smirk at that remark.  "You too, Lita."

**************************************************************************************************************************

Mina sat in her room in her nightgown, brushing her hair and getting ready for bed.  She winced in pain whenever she bent her arm the wrong way, which unfortunately, was often.  As she finished and stood up, she saw a reflection in her mirror and screamed.  Then, she realized it was Heero.

"Heero!  Don't do that!" she cried, gasping and sitting back down.

"Sorry," he answered emotionlessly, then stepped forward from the shadows by the door.  The room was dimly lit, only by a lamp on the dresser.  Every few minutes, lightening would streak by and light up the room like daylight, but that was all.

"Why…did you come into my room?" she asked.  _He can't…no, there's no way he would…_ she thought incredulously.

"I wanted…to apologize," he said finally.  "For letting you get hurt."

"It's okay.  It wasn't your fault.  If anyone's it was mine.  I mean, I let my guard down, and then…" CRASH!!!  Mina screamed as thunder boomed outside.

Heero stared at her.  She appeared thoroughly scared of the storm outside.  "Mina, you're not afraid of thunder, are you?"

She sighed, then smiled to herself.  "I didn't used to be.  But ever since all these storms started, and the rain…it freaks me out, you know?"

"Not really, no," he replied matter-of-factly, then sat down on her bed.  "Can you tell me?"

Mina looked at him hard for a moment, then crossed the room and sat down on the other side of the bed.  "I thought…you didn't like me very much."

Heero paused, remembering the promise he made to her the last time he saw her.  _I promise, if we ever get a second chance, I'll tell you how I feel._  But now, they had a second chance, and he _didn't_ know how he felt.  Then, for the first time, something strange happened.  His mind wandered to Relena.

Almost subconsciously, he started to compare the two girls.  Relena was more formal and practical than Mina, who wasn't as forward or pressuring about her feelings.  Although it was obvious they were strong, she didn't force them onto him like Relena had.  But then again, he had admitted to himself that he did care for Relena.  And whether he felt the same for this girl?  He just didn't know.

"Heero?  Are you listening?" Mina's voice broke his thoughts.  He turned to face her.

"I'm sorry.  Get some rest.  I heard it's a big day tomorrow," he answered, standing up and heading towards the door.  Just as he opened it, Mina spoke again.

"Good night, Heero," she murmured.

"Good night, Mina," he replied.

"And Heero?  I love you," she answered again.  "And I don't care how you feel."

At this, he froze and turned back to look at her.  Oddly enough, there was a look of sadness on her face.

"Why would you ever love someone like me?" he asked softly.

"I already told you.  I don't have to have a reason to love you.  I just do," she answered, laying down and looking away.

"Hn," he grunted, then left.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Upstairs in Pluto's room, Trowa and Trista lay together in her bed.  Although the storm outside still raged, time seemed frozen inside of the room.  Then again, maybe it was.

"Trista?" Trowa asked softly as he held her close to him and kissed her bare neck and shoulders.

"Yes?" she replied, allowing his warm hands to caress her.

"Is this real?  Or am I dreaming?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"I could never tell you.  The only way you would know would be if you woke up," she answered gently.  "But I do not think God would be so cruel as to let you dream this."

"Maybe, maybe not," was all he could say.  He felt his lover lay a hand on his cheek, and opened his eyes.

"No, Trowa.  Those memories that cause you pain are the ones you must forget," she murmured, almost reading his thoughts.

"Pain?  There is no pain.  There's nothing…" Trowa answered.  "You're the only thing I have."

"That's not true, and you know it.  You can't keep lying to yourself Trowa.  You have your friends, and your family in your world," Trista remarked.  Trowa said nothing in return.  Gently, she pressed her lips to his.  But even as she pulled away, he was silent.

"Do you think that without me, you would become Nanashi again?" she closed her eyes sadly.  "You say there's no pain, but there is.  The kind that removes everything.  I can sense it."

"Trista…I love you.  There's no way I could never go back to being alone again.  It's a miracle you've been able to redeem me even this much," he replied.

"From what crime?  You're an innocent man.  You have to understand that.  I haven't been trying to redeem you.  I've been trying to heal you.  Because I need you as much as you need me," she whispered.  "Even now, I cry sometimes when I think about the fact I'll have to go on living without you, at some point."

"You're not alone, Trista.  And neither was I.  Because you were always watching over me, even before I met you.  And when the time comes," he paused and brushed her hair back from her face.  "I'll be watching over you too."

 "I know.  But not having you here beside me, not having something I can hold onto when I'm sad or scared, not having something to comfort me when it feels like the world is crashing down on me, that's what I fear most," she said softly.

He tried to find the words to comfort her, but failed.  All he could do was gather her in his arms, try to kiss away her fears, and pray she'd fall asleep.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Aww…wasn't that sweet?  Well, R+R+R!!!  AND!!!  SEE THE NOTICE BELOW!!! *points down*

NOTICE:  I am considering starting a free mailing list for fans of my fan fiction.  Members of the list will receive pictures and backgrounds from the ficcies, previews of upcoming ficcies, and possibly special edition one-shots!  Ooh!  Aah!  Send me an e-mail if you're interested! 


	12. Skeletons in the Closet part I

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 12

Author:  The rabid obsessive/compulsive journalist.  I mean, Nyneve

Hi everyone!  Well, this is what you've been waiting for!  All of your questions about the weird world the girls have been living in will be answered.  Where did those mobile suits come from?  How come we haven't seen anyone other than our heroes and heroines, and villain?  What about the funky prophesy thingamajig that Raye saw?  Ooh, spookiness!  I just can't stand it!  *passes out*  *revives*  Just kidding.  Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

PS:  Anyone else for the mailing list?  Anyone?  E-mail me for details!

************************************************************************

The clock struck midnight.  Serenity looked up at the moon hanging heavy in the sky.  A crescent moon, never to wax or wane again.  

"It's official.  It's been five years since that day…"

"How do you think the others will handle it?" Endymion asked, walking into the room.

"I don't know.  All these other times, we've been able to pretend it never happened, to just ignore it.  But now…the boys ought to know," Serenity explained.

"Should we tell them?" her husband replied.

"No.  I believe it would be best if we let the girls do it…"

************************************************************************

Duo lay back in the large, comfortable bed Amy had provided him with in her spare room.  It was better than a linen closet, or a jail cell.  But somehow, he noticed that Amy was acting more and more quiet as the day had wore on.  Right before bed, she looked almost sad as she said goodnight to him.

"I wonder what the deal is?  I'd think she'd be happy, now that this whole deal's been sorted out," he commented to himself.

Another rumble of thunder echoed through the room.  But when he could hear again, he noticed another sound.  Someone was crying.

"Ames?  Is that you?" he called, not really expecting an answer.  He knew that Rini had a room nearby, and figured she was just freaked out by the storm.

"I-I-I'm fine, D-Duo," a weak, stammering reply echoed.  

"Yeah, and I'm a Sailor Senshi," he muttered, climbing out of bed and making his way into her room.  Glancing around in the darkness, he couldn't see anything.  Suddenly, something reached up and grabbed him, knocking him off balance.

"Get off of me you…" suddenly, a light flicked on.  

"Duo?  What are you doing?" Amy asked.  Duo looked down sheepishly at his "attacker", a coat draped over a chair.

"I was just…um…" he stopped suddenly, looking at Amy's tear streaked face.  "Hey Ames, you okay?  I hear you crying before…"

"I'm sorry if I woke you," she whispered, turning slightly red and wiping the tears from her face.  "I'm okay now, really."

"You sure?" Duo asked, taking her hand and leading her back to bed.  She sighed and crawled under the covers, turning her face away.  He walked over to the other side of the bed and knelt down next to it.  "Come on Amy, you can tell me."

"It was a bad dream, okay?  Just a nightmare!  It wasn't real!" she snapped.  Then, her expression softened.  "I'm sorry Duo.  But…something happened five years ago today.  It's hard for me whenever the anniversary comes along."

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked, cushioning his head on his arms and looking at her.  

"No.  But I guess I'd better, so that you know," she sighed.  "First of all, besides everyone here, how many people have you seen in Crystal Tokyo?"

"Um well, none," Duo admitted.  "But we haven't really been out much, so…"

"It doesn't matter.  No one except us lives in this city now.  The rest were all massacred," Amy explained slowly.

"Massacred?  What do you mean?" he cried.  "Who could wipe out a whole city?"

"It wasn't a whole city.  Before the massacre, there were roughly eight billion people on the planet.  After, there was no more than three million," she said.

"What?  Amy, that's like, 99% of the population gone!  How?"  Duo asked incredulously.

"We were starting to trade with people from other galaxies.  It was all right for a while.  Then one federation, from what we know as the Virgo-IV galaxy, started to take advantage of us.  Demanding more items be sold for cheaper prices, starting to send in their military to "keep an eye on the property", and finally starting to gain control in some areas of the Solar System.  We had to fight back," Amy explained.

"Wait.  You're telling me, that even though Serenity's got this awesome power like Hecate said, some _merchant group_ decided to challenge her?  What kind of idiot would do that?" he asked.

"The people of Virgo-IV are no joke Duo!  Mina and a couple of the others had advised against trade with them in the first place, because they're so violent and their leaders are megalomaniacs.  But Serenity wanted to be proud of Earth, of the Solar System, so she started the trade.  It was no surprise when they decided they were going to take control of us too," she answered.  "We couldn't make it easy for them.  We fought back with our powers for a while, then we assembled the military, and then…"

"Then what?" he pressed on.

Amy took a deep breath and looked at him.  "I got an idea for a new weapon we could use to defeat the Virgos.  It was a machine that one could pilot from the inside.  A humanoid robot so heavily armed and so mobile that it would be invincible.  A mobile suit."

"You mean, you invented the mobile suits?" Duo cried, reaching out and grabbing her hand suddenly.

"Yes.  And I regret it every day.  Especially today.  Because it was mobile suits that gave the Virgos enough power to wipe out the planet," she replied softly.  "At first, things went well.  The Virgos had never seen anything like MS.  But after they did, they realized they needed it too.  So, they sent a spy in to steal the designs for a new model I was planning.  One that was going to be the strongest yet.  I called it the Cosmos model, because that was what Serenity was called in her purest, most powerful form.  But it was lost."

"So, that's why Neptune and Uranus were so worried about us being spies.  I understand now Ames.  And I think I get it from here.  The Virgos mass-produced the suit, armed their military with it, and took over.  Right?" he asked.

Amy nodded.  "But that wasn't the worst part.  The MS were mostly winning battles in space.  They couldn't penetrate the asteroid belt, because it was so heavily guarded.  So the Virgos needed a new plan.  They decided to use a bigger weapon.  Something much bigger."

Seeing Duo's questioning expression, Amy pointed out the window.  "What do you see Duo?"

"What do I see?  Well, the clouds are clearing out, and there's a few stars and…oh my god…" he looked up at the moon.

Half of it was intact, but a blood red color.  Smaller chunks of matter orbited around it, and they appeared to be part of the moon.

"Through the use of MS, they managed to take over all of the outer planets, and Jupiter as well.  They drained all five planets of their energy, and used it to power a huge tractor beam.  They moved the moon so that it fell out of its orbit and was trapped in Earth's gravity.  It crashed into the North Atlantic Sea, causing huge tidal waves that sent most of Europe and North America into oblivion.  But that wasn't the end of it.  The impact triggered earthquakes that not only destroyed most of the planet, but released a toxic gas that killed the remaining people," she said finally.

"But how did you live then?" Duo asked.

"After the Virgos had penetrated the asteroid belt, we realized we had to get out.  So the royal family and the Senshi fled earth for my home planet.  We had taken along only four mobile suits, the ones that are stored in the hangar now.  After the massacre, Serenity knew she had to end it all.  I opened a wormhole that led us directly to the Virgo-IV galaxy.  We destroyed it from there, using the Silver Crystal.  Serenity said that was the one massacre she does not regret…"

Suddenly, Amy felt Duo's strong arms around her.  As her tears surged back, she buried her face in his chest and cried, clinging to him tightly.

"I'm…so sorry, Ames.  I had no idea.  I'm sorry I made you bring it out.  I'm sorry," Duo repeated over and over again as he held her close.

"Don't go.  Not now," Amy whispered as she let go of him.  "Stay here."

"I will, don't worry," he grinned, kneeling back down beside the bed and looking at her.  "Even if you fall back asleep, I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled weakly at him, her Duo.  Leaning over, she kissed his cheek.  "Thank you."

Closing her eyes, she lay down on her side.  Soon, she was asleep, with Duo's head on her hand.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Wufei sat quietly on the grass outside of Lita's room, meditating.  About an hour beforehand, Lita had seemed kind of upset, and told him to go away.  Feeling like it was too late to start an argument with her, he subdued ((AN:  Very, very, very OOC)) and walked out.  However, he still felt as though she was acting weird, so he stayed close by her room to keep an eye on her.

Suddenly, he heard her patio door open.  Opening one eye, he realized he was safely out of sight behind a few bushes, and that Lita would never notice him.

The sound of a chair scraping concrete could be heard as she moved a chair, and was soon followed by the sound of a bottle opening.  She was quiet for a few minutes, when she suddenly started muttering to herself.

"Damn him.  That idiotic bastard who had to go out and get himself killed for no reason.  You moron, Shino.  Don't you get it how I'd be happier if you were still here?" she said.  "But you're not.  You had to protect me.  Since when have I needed protection?"

"Never," Wufei remarked, standing up and looking at her.  She squinted at him, then recognized him.

"What the hell are you doing out here Wufei?  I told you to go away!" she yelled, setting down her glass and standing up.

"You should watch how much of that stuff you drink.  High alcohol percentage, isn't it?" he asked, walking over and studying the bottle.

"I get drunk one day a year, Wufei.  Congratulations, today is the day.  Now will you get lost?  I don't need any of your egotistical shit right now, got it?" she snapped.

"And I was just starting to respect you too, Kino.  But tell me before I go, to what occasion do I owe your drunkenness?" he asked sarcastically.

"The day all hell broke loose on Earth," she answered.  "Haven't you ever had days like that Wufei?  Days where things get so busy that you just go nuts?"

"No.  Explain it to me," he answered, sitting down in another chair across from her.

She opened her mouth as though to say something, then shook her head and smiled.  "Why not?  Maybe you'll learn something.  Here."  She handed him a glass and sat down.

"Today is the day the world was massacred.  That included my husband," she started.

Wufei stared in surprise.  Lita was married?

"Don't look so shocked, I do have a little bit of charm and a good heart if I say so myself," she remarked.  "Anyways, Shinozaki was in the military when it happened.  The bastards from Virgo-IV had managed to suck Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and good old Jupiter dry of power, and used the energy for a tractor beam.  To make a long story short, they ended up crashing the moon into Earth, causing tsunamis, earthquakes, and poisonous gas that killed almost everyone.  That's why we're the only people who live in Crystal Tokyo," she explained.

"But Shinozaki, your husband, he didn't go with you?" Wufei asked.

"Serenity told us to bring our families with us.  'Course, only I was married, and Raye…was stubborn.  I begged Shinozaki to come with.  But he said it was his duty to Earth, to Serenity, to _me_, that he stay and fight.  He was killed when his barracks collapsed with him inside," she explained.

Wufei thought a moment, choosing his words carefully.  "Shinozaki died an honorable death."

"Yeah, that really matters now.  I don't care whether he died honorably or not.  The point it, he's dead.  And I was stupid enough to love him!" she cried, taking another swig from her glass.

"No.  You were lucky enough to love him," Wufei said quietly, his thoughts trailing back to his own dead spouse.

"What are you talking about Wufei?" Lita asked.

"I was married too.  But I didn't love her.  I couldn't.  Nataku wouldn't let even her own family love her," he explained.

"Nataku?  Isn't that what you call your Gundam?"

"Nataku is my Gundam.  Altron holds Meilan's spirit, because she died to protect it.  To protect me.  Just like Shinozaki died to protect you."

Lita thought a moment, then smiled.  "Wufei, let's make a pact."

"What sort of pact?" he asked warily.

"You already get it that the others are into each other, right?  I mean, that your comrades are in love with mine?" she asked.

"Yes, I've noticed that.  What are you saying…" he retorted, looking at her suspiciously.

"I'm saying, that no matter what happens, you and me are never going to fall in love with each other.  Got it?  Because love is just one more way life screws you," she answered.

Wufei smirked at her.  "Done.  We are no more than allies."

"Amen," Lita replied, clinking her glass against his.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Quatre yawned and opened his eyes.  Sitting up, he realized he didn't know where he was.

"Oh, wait.  The temple.  Raye!" he cried, standing up and realizing she was gone.  Outside, the sun was making an attempt to shine through the stubborn clouds.

"She's probably divining again," he assumed, walking to the room he'd found her in the night before.  Oddly enough, she wasn't there either.

He checked a few of the other buildings, finding them all empty.  Finally, he returned to the main "house".  Starting in one room, he made his way towards the back, calling Raye's name and looking for any sign of her.  He paused when he found one room.

It was empty, save for a pile of junk in the corner.  On top was a battered, torn book that read PHOTO ALBUM on the cover.  Sitting down, he started to turn the old pages.

The first ones were very old.  They showed a young girl of around ten, with wavy dark hair and the same dark eyes as Raye.  However, somehow he know it wasn't her.  As the pictures went on, the girl grew older, and a young man started to appear with her.  He had fair hair and blue eyes, the complete opposite of the beauty pictured with him.  Quatre started to realize that the pictures were all taken on the temple grounds, but many years ago.  Before Crystal Tokyo, before the temple became ruined.  A sadness welled up inside of him.  He longed to see what the temple had once been like.

Suddenly, as he turned another page, he saw the girl, now a beautiful woman, holding a baby.  Wispy dark hairs covered the child's head, and its eyes were the same color as those of its mother.  More pictures of the baby became visible.  It was a girl, identified by the extravagant dresses she wore.  The photos were no longer shown around the temple, but in a city.

An infant cradled in her mother's arms.  A baby being bathed by her mother.  A toddler on a swing in a park.  A toddler hugging her mother tightly.  A slightly older girl pounding on a piano.  A girl of five blowing out candles on her cake.  And then, the next picture was strange.

It was worn and faded, and seemed burned around the edges.  Pictured in the scene was the same little girl, but dressed in a dark purple kimono.  She was kneeling in front of a tree, sobbing with her eyes closed.  So strong was the look of pain on her face that Quatre seemed to feel the girl's pain.  And it was then, that he recognized her.

The girl in the picture was Raye.

Setting aside the burned picture, he began to look at the other photos.  The scene resumed to those of the temple.  Raye smiling in her miko robes.  Raye patting an old man, probably her grandfather, on the head.  Raye sweeping up the temple steps.  Raye dressed in her school uniform.  But something was missing.  As Quatre paged back through the photos, he realized both Raye's mother and father were missing.  

As he looked on, another man started to appear in a few pictures, although not many.  He looked a lot like Raye's father, with the same fair hair and blue eyes.  However, this man was soon replaced by one much different.  This man was dressed in robes similar to Raye's, but his hair was long, and he was in desperate need of a shave.  Quatre gasped as he came across one where Raye's arms were thrown around the man, as they both laughed hysterically with the old man looking on.  Who was he?

He came to the last page.  This one was filled with pictures of Raye and the other Senshi.  In front of the temple, a park, a car, and all of them just laying on the grass somewhere.  And then, there was one more page, after that.  But it was empty.  

Carefully, he put the photo album back, but held onto the charred photo.  As he stood up, he came face to face with the subject of the later pictures.

"Raye!  Forgive me!  I shouldn't have been prying into your things, but…" his stream of apologies were cut of as she put a finger to his lips.

"It's all right.  I was going to show you anyways.  I just wanted to see how long it was going to be before you noticed me," she smiled weakly, removing her finger.  

"How long were you there?" he asked sheepishly.

"Long enough.  Hey, what's this?" she asked, pulling the burned photograph from his hand.  She gasped and her hand started to shake as she looked at it.

"What is it?" he asked, moving next to her.  He gently reached out his hand and steadied hers.

"I thought I destroyed it.  Where'd you get this?" she asked softly.

"It-it was in the photo album.  Why?" he stammered.

She turned away.  "This photo…Kaidou took it, right after my mother died.  I didn't know he was taking it at the time."

"Kaidou?  Who's he?" Quatre asked.

"The man I would've married if my father had had his way," she replied weakly.  "But he didn't love me.  If he had, he'd never have taken this picture!"

She threw the picture on the ground and stepped on it.

"Your father…the man in the earlier photos, with that woman?" Quatre guessed.

Raye nodded.  "He was my father, but he had no right to call himself that.  He didn't love me.  He didn't love my mother.  The only thing he cared about was politics."

"I'm…sorry.  My father was a politician too.  But I still know that he loved me," he said gently.

"Then you were lucky!  Quatre, my father saw me once a year since the day I was born!  Once!  All he did when my mother was sick was send money.  He didn't even go to her funeral Quatre!  Does that sound like a man who loves his family to you?" she cried, stamping her foot.

"I…no.  No it doesn't.  But you must have meant something to him.  In the pictures, Kaidou seems to be happy with you.  Your father must've at least wanted your happiness…"

"No, I was a tool to secure the reputation of his idea.  Kaidou supported my father completely.  He took over after my father died.  I was just a name to add on to Kaidou's resume.  But that didn't matter.  He married another woman anyways," she explained.

"Then, the other man?  The one with the long hair?" Quatre asked gently.

"Yuuchiro?  Ah, good old Yuuchiro ((AN:  That's the name, right?  Isn't it?)).  Father would've never approved _him_," she smiled weakly.  "He was a wannabe rock star who happened to have rich parents.  But, he didn't want any of that.  All he wanted was to prove that he wasn't a failure."

"Did…you have any feelings for him?" he asked in an even quieter voice.

"More or less.  I loved him, yeah.  Like a brother.  I knew he had a crush on me, but that passed.  Still though, it was good to know I had someone to…Quatre!" she cried suddenly, realizing how she was making him feel.  She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.  "I'm sorry!  Here I am, babbling on about something I don't want to talk about, and you probably don't want to hear.  Forgive me!"

He smiled, and touched her cheek.  "No, it's you who should forgive me.  Here I am, acting like a jealous child when I should be thanking God that I have you.  And I'm making it worse by asking you about your past."

"You're not making it worse Quatre!" she exclaimed.  "Don't be so nice.  You're making me feel even more guilty."

"I'm sorry.  I won't do…" again, she pressed her finger to his lips.

"Stop it right there.  No more apologies.  You don't have to say you're sorry for everything, Quatre.  Why don't we head back right now, and forget about all of this?" she asked.

"One last thing though.  Yuuchiro, and the old man…what happened to them?" he asked as she removed the finger.

She paused, and closed her eyes.  "They died, five years ago today.  An enemy of the solar system, the people of Virgo-IV, used a tractor beam to crash the moon into the Earth.  Both of them were killed in the earthquakes caused by the impact."

"I…" Quatre paused as she looked at him.

"What?" she asked.

"I was going to apologize, but since you don't want me to…" he trailed off.

Raye sighed, took his arms and draped them over her shoulders.  "Just say it."

"I'm sorry Firebird," he murmured, kissing her forehead as he led her out of the room.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Mina sat on her balcony listening to music.  She always felt awkward on the anniversary of the massacre.  She had loved no one, and lost no one.  Strange for a girl who spent her youth obsessing over boys.

She sighed as she switched off the radio and looked over the balcony at Crystal Tokyo.  
  


"You managed to rebuild it fast.  No one would ever know that the moon crashed into Earth," a monotone voice said.

Mina closed her eyes.  "I already knew you were there, Heero.  So why don't you come out?" she asked.  

"Hn," was the only reply she got, but he did emerge from the room behind her.

"Who told you about the massacre?  Serenity?" she guessed.

"The younger.  Rini.  She said she didn't know much about it, but that all of you were sad when it happened," he answered.

"I wasn't," Mina commented.

"Why?" he asked.

"What did I have to lose?  I had no clue where my father was, and my mother hated me.  That was it for my family, except the others, of course," she explained.

"No one else?"

She paused a moment, then turned around to face him.  She moved with such speed that Heero didn't even realize it until her face was only a few inches away from his.

"Are you the devil?" she whispered.

"What?" he asked, hypnotized by her clear blue eyes.

"Why do you do this, Heero?  You, tempt me by making me feel as though you're always with me, and I almost start to believe that you have a heart.  And that I have a place in that heart.  But when you finally come out, you prove that you don't.  That I mean nothing to you.  What is your mission by constantly playing with my emotions?" she asked.

He looked away.  "To drive you away from me."

"I don't understand," she answered.

"You wouldn't," he said coldly.  As he started to walk back inside, he felt her grab his hand.  

"And I never will, unless you explain it to me.  But only tell me if you want to be close to me.  If not," she let go of his hand.  "Go."

He was silent outside, but inside his emotions were a roaring tempest.  He wanted to tell her he loved her, tell her he hated her, tell her he didn't know, kill her.  Not even Relena caused him this much grief.  So how could one girl he barely knew torment him so much?

"Did you ever love anyone Heero?  I did.  Before you," Mina said quietly.  "And I thought he loved me too.  But, he couldn't wait.  He couldn't wait for me to put him first."

"Could you wait?" Heero asked suddenly, turning around to face her.  Then, he realized she was crying.

"I have waited Heero.  How much longer do I have to wait?" she sobbed.

Kneeling down, he reached out to her and wiped the tears off of her face.  Then, his hand moved down her neck, shoulder, and arm down to her hand.  He pressed his lips to it gently, then held it to his cheek.

"I still can't tell you if I love you.  But I…still want to be close to you.  Even though you destroy the balance of everything inside me, the chaos gives me peace.  Somehow…" he answered, tugging her hand gently.

"That's all I want," she murmured, sliding her arm around his neck and leaning close to him.  But just as their lips were about to meet, she stopped.

"No.  You don't need that much chaos.  Don't worry Heero.  If I can wait longer, so can you," she whispered, then stood up and walked inside.

He stared after her, his emotions calming like an ocean after a storm.  _It's better this way_ he thought.  But deep inside, he knew he preferred the storm.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Trowa stared out the window of Trista's room.  Down in the garden, he could see her, carefully watching over Rini, Hotaru, and Janus.

_She'll_ _be a good mom_, he thought to himself as she pulled a laughing Rini up off the ground.  As she did, she happened to look up at him.  For a moment, she flashed an enigmatic smile at him, then returned to her duty.

He continued to watch her for a while, then decided to make the best use of the rain's absence.  Pulling on a jacket Trista had given him, he walked outside.

"Hey!" Rini called as he approached, waving cheerfully.  Hotaru smiled and Janus raised his hand in greeting.

"Decided to join me?" Trista asked, walking over to him.

He nodded, then looked towards the three kids, who were busy conspiring by a tree.  Suddenly, Rini stood up.

"Puu?  We decided we wanna play cards.  _Inside_," she stressed.  

"_Alone_," Janus added.

"We'll see you later," Hotaru finished as the three dashed off for the palace.

The couple shot a look at each other, then Trowa put his arm around Trista's shoulders as they walked off.

"Today must be a hard day for you," he said softly.

"It is.  But, not as hard for me as some of the others.  I had already lost everything.  All there was left for me was my duty," she answered.

She waited for a response, but Trowa had resumed his usual silence.  And yet, somehow it was his silence that made him so appealing.  It was as though he could reach her best without talking, sometimes without even looking at her.  She had realized it long ago, that just his presence was comforting.  When he was with her, she didn't feel so lost and alone.  The love everyone else had found at one point or another always seemed to elude her.  But not now.  Neither of them were alone now.

The skies above had once again turned gray, and small droplets of rain started to fall down.  However, they just pressed closer together and remained quiet.  But Trista broke the silence when she realized just how many raindrops were falling down her face, like the cold, salty tears she thought she should've been crying.

"The angels will cry in my stead…" she murmured absentmindedly, remembering the line from an old poem she had found in the palace library.

"You've never cried, have you Trista?" Trowa asked.  "Not once.  I can tell just by the way you speak."

"You're wrong.  I did cry.  I cried when I lost you," she answered.

No answer, just like she expected.

"And you've never cried.  I've watched.  Not even when you were a child did you cry.  I sensed your sadness, but," she stared up into his eyes, "never once did those emerald eyes of yours shed one tear."

He stopped, wanting to say something to her, but he just couldn't find the words.  He almost wanted to laugh, at how Trista probably knew more about him than even he did.  Still though, he couldn't ask her to tell him.  Whether he didn't want to know, or whether he didn't want to hear it from the woman he loved, he was never quite sure.  Trista was so much like him in so many ways.  Quiet and lost, in a way that he understood.  But her emotions were strong, so strong.  Even though she never showed it, the sadness and fear seemed to radiate from her very soul.  And it was this sadness and fear he wanted to chase away.

"There's never been anything worth crying for," he whispered, touching her rain-soaked hair.  "Nothing until you."

"I'll never leave you Trowa.  You're the other part of me.  I can't separate myself from you, even if I wanted to," she replied, putting her arms around his waist and holding him tightly.

But even as he began to kiss her neck, he had gone silent.  Again.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"It's over" Serenity said the following night.  "The anniversary has come and gone."

"I'm glad.  I don't like having to be sad for a whole day," Rini complained.

"You don't have to be sad, Rini.  But you do have to remember.  All those people that died, we can't forget them.  If we did, they'd have died in vain," Endymion answered.

"I know.  But still, I'm glad it's over," she said.

"Me too, Rini. Me too," Serenity said as the broken moon became visible.

**************************************************************************************************************************

All for now!  R+R+R!!!!  And guess what?  There's a part two to this chapter coming!  Yayishness!!!!!!!!


	13. Skeletons in the Closet part II

The Other Side of Paradise

Part: …Something?

Author:  Um…something else?

Hello everyone, I'm over my cold.  *sniff* Sort of.  Sorry it's taken so long to post this thing.  But just so you know…I'M NOT DOING A SEQUEL TO THAT DUO/AMI THING, ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!  LEARN THE MEANING OF THE WORD, "ONE-SHOT"!!!!!!!!!!  CHRIST!!!!!!  *deep breaths*  Okay.  I'm in my happy place now.  Happy place…*eats chocolate* I'm better.  Don't own the anime.  And now, on with part…whatever part we're at!

- Nyneve

**************************************************************************************************************************

Weeks went by for everyone.  Summer turned into late fall, but the rain kept up.  However, changes were coming for everyone.

Quatre stood next to a piano, watching Raye play quietly.  However, he was deep in thought.  He'd been feeling homesick lately, and was wondering what his sisters and the Maganac were doing.  True, he'd been dead for one year,  but he still wanted to see them.  But it would never happen.  There was no way he'd ever be able to get back to his dimension.

"Quatre?  What is it?"  Raye asked, looking up at him.  He shook his head and looked down at her.

"Nothing.  I'm fine," he answered nonchalantly.

"I don't believe you," she replied calmly, standing up and taking his hand.  "Tell me."

He was about to protest again, but the concern in her eyes stopped him.  "It's nothing really.  I'm just feeling a little homesick right now."

"So, you're missing _your_ home?  In your dimension?" she asked, then sighed.  "I understand.  Hey, I need to talk to Amy, okay?  I'll see you in a bit."

She kissed his cheek, then walked down the hall to Amy's lab.  For weeks she sensed the growing…what was it?  She could tell that Quatre was getting homesick, but it was more than that.  It was obvious he felt guilty about wanting to leave her.  But he didn't really want to leave either.  Things were easier at the palace.  Most efforts were put towards the best interests of the remaining citizens of Earth and the other planets.  However, she understood that it must be hard to be away from your family and friends for so long.  Especially when they think you're dead.

**************************************************************************************************************************Amy looked up as Raye walked into the room.  It was completely unlike her not to knock, so she knew there must be something wrong.

"Raye?  What is it?" she asked as her friend began studying a newer invention in the corner of the room.

"We've gotta talk.  You know how the guys have been lately.  Quatre just told me he starting to feel really homesick," Raye explained.

Amy sighed and nodded.  "Yes, I can tell Duo feels the same way.  But, I do have good news."

"Yeah?" her friend's eyes widened.  "About the Doorway?"

She nodded.  "I've been testing it.  It's been working well.  I've gone a few places and been able to come back."

"You've tried interdimensional travel?" Raye asked, a small amount of excitement in her voice.

"Yes, it works just as well.  However, there's one problem," Amy said, bringing up some figures on her computer.  "You can travel virtually anywhere, but I've found that if you travel interdimensionally, your staying time is shortened terribly.  You can't stay for more than five hours, or else the Doorway loses energy, and you're stuck."

"That's it?  That's the only problem?"  she cried.  "It's nothing!"

"Well, I figured that they'd rather spend a longer time back home than just five hours," Amy admitted.

"You're probably right, as usual.  Do you know how to fix it?" Raye asked.

"Yes, and no.  The main problem's with the energy source.  If I could get a bigger one, then we could stay longer.  But I'm using the essence of the Silver Crystal.  There's nothing stronger that we can harness," she answered.  "I've been seeing if we could use the Bios Crystals, but development for that could take months."

"I see.  Well, I'll talk to Quatre, and the others too.  A year's a long time to be away from the people you love," Raye murmured.

"Yes.  I know," Amy agreed as she walked out.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"What?  You mean we could really go back and see everyone?" Quatre cried as Raye told him about the Doorway.

"Don't get excited.  It would be for five hours only.  Unless," she paused.  "You'd want to stay there permanently."

"Without you?  Never," he said.  "But to see Rashid, Irea ((AN:  Okay, I'm pretty sure she's dead, but she's the only one of Quatre's sisters who ever had a name, so we're going to pretend she's not dead.)), everyone…it would be more than I could ask for.  Even if it was only for five hours."

"So, you want to go then?" Raye asked.

"Of course!  And Raye," he folded her in his arms.  "You'll come with, won't you?"

"Sure.  Whatever you want," she murmured.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Duo?  Can I ask you something?" Amy asked as he sat on her bed.  She'd taken a liking to braiding his hair for him, ((AN:  So kawaii!  Amy braiding Duo's hair for him!)) and it seemed like a good opportunity to talk to him about a visit home.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Do you have any family?  I mean, in your world?" she asked.

He was silent for a while.  "No…there was a war in our world.  It wasn't as bad as yours, but it was bad.  My parents were both killed."

"Oh Duo, I'm sorry," she apologized, hugging him tightly.  

"It's okay.  Really," he replied, smiling at her.  "But there was this one girl at home…she became a pretty close friend.  Not as much as you, but she was kind of like a sister."

Now it was Amy's turn to be quiet.  "What would you do if you could see her again?"

He turned around and looked at her.  "If I could see Hilde again?  How?  She's in that dimension, and I'm in this one.  Plus there's the little problem that I'm dead…"

"If you could see her, even if it was only for a few hours, would you go back to your world?" Amy interrupted.

"Well, yeah.  I've been kinda worried about her.  A lot of people have tried to take advantage of her, and if I could just check on her, I'd probably be able to rest easy," he admitted.

"Come on.  I want to show you something," she said, standing up and walking into her lab.  She crossed to the other side and pulled the sheet off of the Doorway.

It looked like a rectangular frame made of metal, with a soapy solution in the middle.  

"Duo, this is a portal that can send you back to your world for five hours.  A while ago, we started thinking you were getting homesick, and that you might want to go back.  We've tried to make it so that you can stay as long as you want, but five hours is the maximum amount of time.  Unless you want to stay forever," she explained.

"Really?  Whoa, this is just like _Stargate SG-1_!" he cried.  "But, we could really go back?"

She nodded.  "We're planning on trying it out tomorrow."

He grinned and threw his arms around her.  "I got the smart one!" he sang happily.

She blushed profusely.  "It's really not that…"

"Ames, stop being a perfectionist and let me complement you, okay?" Duo interrupted.

"Okay," she smiled as he continued.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Mina watched Heero silently as he lay outside, staring up at the sky.  She bit her lip.  Amy told her to inform Heero that he could visit his old dimension, if he wanted.  But something held her back.

Relena.  The girl she remembered almost becoming friends with, during her visit to the other dimension.  The girl whose name she heard Heero moaning in his sleep.  Something in her heart told her that he had feelings for this Relena.  Feelings he would never have for her.

_Stupid!  Heero doesn't have feelings for anyone!  What are you so worried about?_ She thought.

"That he'll see her…and I won't have a chance," she whispered, fear choking her as she thought about it.  

It wasn't fair.  Why, of all people, did she have to fall for Heero?  He didn't love her, and he never could.  With his heart, or lack thereof, he couldn't love anyone.  Probably not even Relena, but there was always an exception to the rule.  Why else would he be dreaming with her.

Meanwhile, Heero glanced at Mina, standing underneath a tree a few meters away.  She was whispering under her breath, and appeared to be debating with herself over something.  Her usually smiling face was contorted with confusion and concern, and…no.  This was normal.  Heero recalled that all the times he seen Mina, this was the way her face looked.  Pained, heartbroken, and sad.  

Could it be, that he was causing her as much pain as she was causing him?

_That would be a cruel twist of fate_ he thought.  The chaos she always seemed to wreak on his heart and soul had recently driven him to think about Relena.  Whether it was to forget Mina, who's unrealized control over him was becoming stronger, or just because idleness was causing him to go insane, he was sure.  

"Heero?" Mina asked suddenly, stepping out.  He sighed and sat up, but didn't answer.

She looked at him, then sat down next to him.  "I've gotta ask you something."

"What is it?" he replied nonchalantly.

"Amy's built this…well we call it the Doorway," Mina began.  "She says she's finished testing on it, and found out that she can travel interdimensionally."

He raised his eyes to her.  "What do you mean?"

Mina took a deep breath.  "You could go back to your own dimension, if you want.  You'll have five hours to see your friends and family.  Or…Relena," she choked out, then lowered her eyes.  "Then again, you'd probably prefer to just stay there.  You can, if you want."

Both of them were quiet for a while.  Mina couldn't help but notice how much it was like Trista and Trowa, with more communication through silence than speaking.

"When can I go?" Heero asked finally.

"Tomorrow," she hesitated for a moment.  "Can I come too?"

"Hn," he grunted, then stood up and walked away.

Mina stared after him, then stood up and kicked the tree before walking the other direction.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Trowa looked up from his book at Trista, studying her carefully.  She was sewing, and hadn't said anything for a while.  However, she kept glancing over at him, pondering on whether to say something.

"What is it?" he asked finally, when she didn't speak.

"What?" she sighed.

He didn't respond, but his emerald green eyes continued to bore into her.

Trista sighed and set the sewing down.  "Amy's Doorway's been completed."

"Doorway?" he asked, confused.

"A portal that can be used to travel from one dimension to another.  She wants us to give it a test run tomorrow," she explained.

"Where are you going?"

"The question is, Trowa, where are _you_ going?" she asked.  "Amy can send you back to your own dimension for five hours, so you can see your family again."

Again, silence.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Trowa wondered.

"Because, I can still sense the pain inside you.  I don't want you to have to feel it again.  But then again…" she stood up and put a hand on his shoulder.  "I know how badly you want to see Catherine again."

"…Come with me," he said finally.

"What?" Trista cried, bewildered.

"I want you to come with me.  So Catherine knows I'll be all right.  And then you won't have to worry about me," Trowa explained.

Trista smiled weakly and shook her head.  "You're sure you want me to?"

He didn't answer, but gently tilted her face down and kissed her.

**************************************************************************************************************************

The next day, everyone (with the exception of the royal family) was assembled in Amy's lab.  Everyone except for one person.

"Um, where's Wufei?" Quatre asked, looking around.  All eyes turned to Lita, who smiled sheepishly.

"Are you saying you didn't tell him?" Amy groaned.

"I'll go get him!  Um, Lita, will you cover me?" Duo asked.

"I guess.  We'll be back in a minute or two," Lita grinned, as she and Duo took off down the hall.  Suddenly, a shout echoed down the corridor.

"WHAT THE HELL?  KINO!!!!!!!!  MAXWELL!!!!!!!!  YOU TWO ARE DEAD!!!!!!!!!"  came Wufei's angry yell.

Duo and Lita darted back into the lab, and both attempted to cower behind Amy.  Seconds later, a very ticked off Wufei walked into the room.

"Aw come on Wu-man!  It was just a joke!" Duo giggled.  "And it was all Lita's fault, just so you know."

Wufei turned his angry glared on Lita, who stood up from behind Amy.   "Bring it on, Chang…"

"WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF SO WE CAN LEAVE ALREADY!!!!"  Raye yelled, stepping between the two.  "Come on Amy, fire that thing up."

"Okay, commencing portal dilation…" Amy replied, pulling down her goggles and pulling out her mini computer.

"You three hold down the fort while we're out!" Mina replied, waving to Amara, Michelle, and Hotaru, who were staying behind.  Mina had originally intended to stay as well, but was then tempted by the thought of seeing what sort of competition Relena would turn out to be.

"Affirmative.  See you in five hours!" Amara called, as the five Senshi and five pilots stepped through the Doorway.

They came out in the middle of a busy street, crowded with people and cars.  It appeared they were in a city, and it was around Christmas, showing by the decorations.

"Everyone listen closely.  We need to meet back here in this exact spot in five hours or less.  If not, we'll be stuck here.  Get it?" Amy said.

The others nodded in understanding.

"Right then.  See you in a while!" Duo grinned, grabbing Amy's wrist and dragging her off in the direction of an apartment complex.

Quatre quickly hailed a taxi, and helped Raye in before they drove off.  Trista and Trowa did likewise, while Wufei glared at Lita and walked off towards a skyscraper.  Lita shook her head and followed him.  Heero disappeared into the crowd, and Mina attempted to follow him.  It was going to be an interesting day.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Duo…I'm not sure about this…" Ami murmured as they stood in the elevator ascending to the top floor of the tall apartment building.

"Aw…Ames!  You can't back out on me now!" Duo moaned.

"But you're the one she'll want to see!  Is it really necessary to…"  she was cut off as the door opened.

A short woman with close-cut blue/black hair and sunglasses stepped into the elevator.  She was wearing a heavy turtleneck sweater and khakis, and carrying a backpack.  Ami heard Duo stop breathing as the woman pressed the button to the ground floor.  As she turned, she smiled at him quickly, then looked away.  It was then that she spun around and dropped her backpack.

"Hilde…um, hi," Duo stumbled, picking up the bag for her.

She stared a moment later, then hit the emergency stop button.  Removing her sunglasses, she revealed dark blue eyes, shocked and scared.

"What the hell is this?" she murmured, taking the bag from him.  "D-Duo?"

Duo smiled weakly.  "Yeah."

Hilde looked at him, then at Ami, then back to him, before laughing nervously.  "I get it.  This is one of those near death experiences.  Or else that cottage cheese was way past its expiration date…"

"No it's not, Hilde!  It's really me!" he cried, embracing her tightly.

"Can't be," she muttered, breaking out of his arms.  "On account of you're dead, Duo.  They found you and said you'd drowned, somehow.  _I was at your funeral!_"

"Hilde, he's alive, just like you or I am.  You should know better than anyone that he's the best at cheating Death," Ami said quietly.

Hilde glanced at Ami.  "And who are you supposed to be?  The ghost of Christmas Past?"

"Look, Hilde.  You want proof that it's me?  Ask any question and I'll be able to answer it," he challenged.

She paused and looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook her head.  "What the hell. Okay, let's see if you know this one.  Exactly 28 months ago, something happened to me.  What was it?"

Duo raised an eyebrow.  "Are you talking about the day we met?" he asked.

The expression on her face was one of amazement, then pure ecstasy.  "Oh my God, it is you!" she screamed, throwing her arms around him.

He laughed, and glanced at Ami.  It was true he was worried about how awkward he thought she might feel, but now as she smiled, it seemed she couldn't be happier for him.

Hilde grinned, then turned to Ami.  "Sorry about what I said.  Who are you?" she asked.

"Ami, Ami Mizuno," Ami answered shyly as Duo put his arm around her.

Hilde glanced at him, then back to Ami.  "Ah, I get it.  Shame on you Duo!  Going after nice, quiet girls like Ami here."

At that, Ami couldn't help but crack a smile.  "It's all right.  I find him tolerable."

Hilde laughed, then gave Ami a hug.  "Hey, so do I."

Just then, there was the sound of pounding and the doors were forced open.  A man with a handlebar mustached stepped in.

"Is everyone all right in here?  Hilde?" he asked.

_Manager_ Hilde mouthed surreptitiously.  "Um, I hit the Emergency Stop button on accident.  Thanks for getting us out.  Uh, we'll take the stairs," she rushed, leading Duo and Ami towards the stairs.

The hike up to Hilde's apartment was long and tedious, but it was definitely filled with laughter.  By the time they'd reached the apartment, a contest had started to see whether Duo or Hilde could tell the most embarrassing story about the other.  Ami giggled hysterically at being the judge.

"Well, this is it.  Dump sweet dump," Hilde said finally, opening the door.  "I was gonna go to the grocery store, but I got sidetracked."

In fact, the apartment was nice.  It resembled the classic urban loft, and had a large living room and kitchen.

"It's lovely, Hilde.  Really," Ami assured.

"Geez, this is the best you could do off of all that scrap I left you?" Duo asked jokingly.

"Sorry, Duo.  But it was this or Barbie's Beach House," Hilde shot back.

"And that's one for one," Ami smiled.

Hilde hi-fived Ami.  "And the games are just beginning."

Duo frowned.  "Don't tell me you two are going to gang up on me…"

Hilde and Ami looked at each other.  "Ami, I demand you spend more time with him.  Maybe some of your intelligence will rub off on him," Hilde ordered.

There was nothing he could say to that.  So, Ami spoke for him.

"Sorry, but I declare Hilde," she grabbed her wrist, and raised it over her head, "The winner."

A look of mock defeat crossed Duo's face.  "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

The women broke into giggles again as Hilde pulled three sodas out of the refrigerator.  "Oh how the mighty hath fallen."

Nobody said anything for a few seconds, before Hilde spoke again.  "So if you're not dead, where've you been for the past year?  Ami's house?"

"Well, uh, that was only the past three or four months, actually.  All the other times, I was really dead," Duo explained.

He and Ami went on to explain the long story, beginning back with the Senshi traveling back to that dimension.  When it was finished, Hilde stared at them.  They couldn't tell whether she believed their story or not.

Finally, she shrugged.  "Well, if it turns out that Shinigami can come back to life, why not believe the rest of it.  Anyways, I'm glad you're back, Duo.  I missed you…god, you don't know how much."

At this, Duo's smile faded.  "I missed you too, Hilde.  But the thing is…we can't stay."

"WHAT?" she cried, staring at them incredulously.

"You see, the only reason we were able to come was because Ami built this portal-thingy that can go through other dimensions.  But we can only stay for," he glanced at his watch.  "Two more hours, and 13 minutes."  He didn't have the heart to mention that he could've stayed there forever.  

"Damn it, that sucks," Hilde declared finally, then sighed.  "Guess we'd better make the most of it, huh?"

With that, she broke into another story about getting into an argument with a scrapper that resulted in her almost being arrested.

An hour and forty-five minutes later, Ami stood up.  "I'm sorry, Hilde.  But we really have to go, otherwise..."

"You know what?  I don't wanna know," Hilde smiled, hugging her tightly.  "It's been great getting to know you Ami.  Do me a favor?  Take care of Duo for me."

"Yes.  I swear, as soon as we get enough power, we'll visit again," Ami smiled.  In only a short time, it seemed like she'd known Hilde forever.  You just couldn't help but like her.  She was so affectionate and funny.  It was no wonder that Duo liked her so much.

"Duo," Hilde said, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  "You behave yourself.  Don't give Ami any reason to dump you."

"Hey, it's not like we'll never see each other again!  You heard what Ami said," Duo replied, then patted her back.  "Take care of yourself, Hilde, okay?"

"Okay," she replied as they walked out the door.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Whoa, I forgot how big this place was," Raye commented as the taxi pulled up to the gates of the Winner mansion.  As she and Quatre stepped out, she couldn't ignore the look of bliss on his face as he took in his old home.

He absentmindedly took her hand and walked up to the gates, where a guard was stationed in the little ((AN:  I want to say guardhouse, but is that really what it's called?)).  The guard, a middle-aged Arabian man, looked up.

"Yes, can I help…_MASTER QUATRE!_" he cried, standing up.

Quatre smiled.  "Abdul…I'm back," he said softly.

By now, Abdul was summoning the rest of the Maganac, who were rushing there in droves.  A few stared incredulously at Quatre, others were smiling, and a few were walking over and shaking his hand.  One of them, the one Raye remembered being called Rashid, was embracing him tightly.

"You've been gone for over a year!  Where've you been?" he asked.

"With me," Raye answered, feeling a little intimidated by the sudden appearance of approximately forty armed men, all a good deal larger than herself.

Rashid turned to her, and it appeared he hadn't noticed her before.  But then, he smiled.  "Miss Raye, you've been looking after Master Quatre?"

She relaxed a little bit.  "I've been doing my best, yes.  You actually remember me?"

"It is more than difficult to remember finding a demon reduced to ash right before your eyes," he said.

"We knew you weren't dead the whole time!" another one called out.

"Rashid, please.  Where are my sisters?" Quatre asked.

"Inside, Master Quatre.  At least, a few of them are," he answered.

Raye and Quatre smiled at each other as they walked up the winding drive into the mansion.  A few of the servants stared in awe at Quatre, and they were delayed in answering questions.  The story was that Raye had helped Quatre fake his death while she helped him get away for some peace and quiet.  It was believable enough, and was the same story that was repeated before Quatre's oldest sister, Irea.

"Well, first of all, Quatre, Father would not have approved," she chided, then smiled.  "But I had a feeling that was what happened.  It's good that you're back."

During the next hour or so, the rest of Quatre's sisters all arrived at the mansion.  Along with their families, and the Maganac, it had grown very loud and crowded in a short amount of time.  A few people from the press even showed up, but Irea firmly stressed that they stay out, and that no one was to speak with the media for the time being.

It was then that Quatre and Raye decided that Irea and Rashid should know the truth of what had happened.  So, they told the long, involved story of what had happened.  Irea seemed shocked at everything, but Rashid responded in a calm manner, as though he had suspected it the whole time.

Meanwhile, Raye was feeling uneasy.  She didn't like the lack of attention she was getting, and the fact that everyone seemed so interested in Quatre thoroughly surprised her.  However, she was too proud to admit to herself that there was a possibility it was just jealousy.  Instead, she eyed everyone suspiciously, as if they posed a potential threat.  In fact, she didn't even notice at first that Quatre was trying to talk to her.

"Raye?  Raye!  Are you listening?" he asked, shaking her gently.

She blinked and looked at him.  "Oh, sorry.  What?" she responded bluntly.

"Our time's almost up, Raye.  We have to leave," he said, studying her closely.  Although he'd spent the past few hours talking to his friends and family, he couldn't help but notice how cold and quiet Raye had become.  She hadn't said a word to anyone, but still stared at a few of them.  A couple of times, Irea had pulled him aside and asked about her.

"She scares me, Quatre," she had admitted.  "Are you sure she's…"

"Raye's just a little quiet.  I don't know why, she's usually very outgoing.  But," he paused and stared into his sister's eyes.  "I love her.  That's going to have to be good enough, Irea."

"Of course," she'd replied.  It was obvious she thought Raye was odd, if not out to kill him, just like…

He froze.  _Of course.  She's getting a message.  I'd better get her out of here as soon as possible_ he thought.  If Raye was sensing something, anything, he wanted to know.  He needed to know.

And so, taking her hand and slipping quietly away from the crowd of people, he left his world again.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Trowa watched the woman quietly as she took care of the horses.  She was all alone, but seemed content to just be with the animals in the tent.  Brushing a strand of wavy brown hair out of her face, she gently stroked the horse's back, whispering to it softly.  

Cautiously, Trowa took a step forward.  

The horse looked up and whinnied.  The woman spun around, her pale blue eyes searching the dark areas of the tent.  

"Who's there?" she asked, in a voice tinted with fear.

He chose to remain silent.  But Trista had another plan.

"I'm sorry to startle you," she said, stepping out into the light.  "I was just wondering, you are Catherine Bloom, aren't you?"

"Who are you?  What do you want?" Catherine asked.

"My name is Trista Meioh.  I've come to return something you've lost," Trista replied calmly.  With that, she returned to the shadows, took Trowa's hand, and led him into the light.

Catherine gasped.  "Trowa!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and breaking into tears.  "I thought I'd never see you again.  They said you were…"

"Dead," Trowa finished.

"Yeah…but how did you…?" Catherine trailed off.

Trowa didn't answer, but looked toward Trista.  She too remained quiet.

Catherine looked at her.  "Did you have something to do with it?"

"I did.  But it was Trowa's choice to come back to you, not mine," she answered.

"But I still don't understand!  Trowa, where have you been?" Catherine asked.

"I was dead.  And then I was with Trista.  It's a long story," he answered.

"One that should be told," Trista replied firmly.

But since Trowa refused to say anything further, it was Trista Catherine ended up getting the truth from.  She seemed to believe it, probably only out of concern for Trowa.

"So, what now?" Catherine asked finally.

"We have another hour to spend here.  Then we have to leave," Trowa said.

"An hour?  But you just got here!" she cried.  "Why would you leave so soon?"

"As far as everyone knows, I'm still dead.  This world isn't my home anymore," he answered.

"So where is your home then?  I'll go there!" Catherine offered.

"Miss Bloom, we'd be more than happy to allow you to come with us.  But the truth is, we're still recovering from recent conflicts," Trista said.  But at Catherine's downtrodden look, she decided to add to her response.  "However…it should be cleared up in a month or so.  If you still wish to come to our world then…"

"Please, I'd do anything to be with Trowa again," Catherine said, reaching for Trista's hand.  However, Trowa's took her wrist and lowered it.

"You have to trust her, Catherine.  Stay here, for now at least.  It's your home," he said firmly.

Catherine was silent.  Then, she felt Trista's hand on her shoulder.

"I swear to you, I won't let anything happen to Trowa, as long as I live.  You are not the only one who holds him in your heart," she said softly.

She looked up at her.  There was wisdom in sincerity in Trista's eyes.  Catherine nodded weakly, then stood up.

"At least let me get you something to eat and drink," she said, leading them out of the tent as the clock ticked, devouring the minutes as they passed.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Tell me again, what are we doing here?" Lita asked as she and Wufei sat outside the office.

"Tell me again, why did you come with?" Wufei muttered.

"So that you could use my name and not have to bring it out of the closet that you're not dead," she retorted as the door opened.  

A tall woman with light brown braids and slanted eyes stepped out.  "I'll be with you in a minute," she smiled at Lita, then suddenly noticed Wufei sitting next to her.

She didn't gasp or stare cynically, but oddly, she didn't seem surprised that he was there.  Laughing, she put a hand on her hip.

"So Wufei.  You're not dead, huh?" she asked.

"Of course not," he answered.  "It takes more than _her _to kill me."

"Heh.  Even when I did kill him, he wouldn't stay dead," Lita smiled.

"Whoa, did I miss something?  Are you saying you killed him?"  she asked, for once a little surprise in her voice.

"Like Kino said, I didn't stay dead," Wufei huffed.

"But she killed you?  This oughta be a story.  Why don't you two come in?" she offered.

"By the way, I'm Lita Kino," Lita introduced.  "Or just Kino if you choose," she added, grinning at Wufei.

"Sally Po.  Wufei used to work with me before…now wait a minute.  Why don't you just explain what happened before we go any further?"

So Wufei and Lita took turns telling the story (often pausing to correct the other on some minor, embarrassing detail).  By the end, Sally was grinning amusedly.

"Well, not as believable a story as I expected, but still better than what those other idiots that call themselves doctors thought," she remarked.

"What do you mean?" Wufei asked.

"When we found you, you weren't dead.  Yeah, you were pretty badly fried, but not dead.  But after you were left alone in intensive care, you disappeared.  Everyone decided you got up and walked away," Sally explained.

"So I didn't kill him?  Damn…" Lita muttered while Wufei smirked at her.

"Anyways, why'd you come back?  Just to see me?  How thoughtful!" Sally smiled.

"Yeah, Chang's been _pining_ for you," Lita grinned and raised her hands to casually cover her head.

"Well, it's good to see you two get along so well," she remarked.  "How long are you staying?"

"About three more hours," Wufei said.  "That's when the Doorway closes."

"Three hours huh?  Hm…I've got some work to do.  Feel like helping me out?" Sally asked.

"Why not?  Relive some of the old times," Wufei replied.

"Oh, but I was talking to Lita," Sally smiled, causing the younger woman to burst into hysterical laughter.

"Huh.  Onna," he muttered as he followed them down the stairs.

**************************************************************************************************************************

Heero silently approached the cemetery.  He didn't know why he wanted to go there at first.  But for some reason, he had decided he needed to know where his grave was.  Where his body had been buried, before it had been desecrated.  The thought that Hecate had come here to take his body hadn't bothered him at first, but now it sent a shiver up his spine.

He searched headstone after headstone, after finally finding his.  It wasn't huge, but not small either.  A small angel statuette rested on top of the marker that read

HEERO YUY

BORN:  AC 180

DIED:  AC 197

HIS SACRIFICE WILL LIVE ON

It wasn't much.  But he couldn't help but notice the small medal embedded in the marble.  A Medal of Honor.  He reached out and touched it gently.  When did they give him this?  After he died, or were they saving it?  Heero let out a bitter laugh.  If only they knew that he didn't die for the sacrifice they thought.  That he'd died at the hands of a girl who said she loved him, so that balance would be restored to the universe.

Suddenly, he heard a car coming down the road.  On impulse, he hid behind a large dead tree so that he wouldn't be seen.  He was surprised when the car slowed and came to a stop.  But he was even more surprised when he saw who climbed out of the passenger's side.

It was Relena.  But, there was no way it could've been Relena.  She looked older, so much older, and she wore a tired expression.  Her walk was slow and unsteady, as if she was afraid of what would happen if she took a step forward.

Silently, she crossed the cemetery, stopping when she reached the grave Heero had stood in front of only moment before.  The late morning sunlight shone on her face, reflecting off of the tears that fell down her cheeks.  Gently, she reached out and caressed the angel, as if she hoped it might be Heero himself.  If only she knew he was standing there behind the tree.

"Heero…" she whispered, repeating his name over and over, as if it were an echo.  "I miss you so much."

"Why don't you go over there?" A low voice said suddenly.  Heero spun around.  A tall man with long platinum blond hair stood behind him.  His cold blue eyes were focused on Heero.

"So, it's you," Heero said.  "How long has she been coming here?"

"Every week since you "died".  Which makes me wonder why you came back now," Zechs remarked.

"Hn," he muttered.

"You took care of it surprisingly well.  I'm assuming you came back from the dead, because not even you could've faked something this believable.  The whole world thinks you're dead," Zechs pointed out.

Suddenly, a man stepped out of the car.  He was young, with gentle brown eyes and auburn hair.  He walked over and touched Relena's shoulder.  She stood up and threw herself into his arms.

"You shouldn't keep coming here if it makes you so sad, Relena," he said, rubbing her back.

"I know, I know," she sobbed, "But I'm scared…"

He gently tilted up her chin.  "Of what?"

"That I'll forget him," Relena answered.

Then, to Heero's surprise, the man bent forward and kissed her lips passionately.

"No one will ever forget Heero Yuy, Relena.  You least of all," the man replied, taking her hand and leading her back to the car.

Heero and Zechs watched as the car drove off.

"His name's David Merott.  He asked Relena to marry him two months ago," Zechs explained.

"She'll be happy with him," Heero stated.

"She'd have been happier with you," Zechs answered.

Both of them were silent for a while.  Finally, Heero turned to his old rival.

"Zechs, I need to ask you to do something," he said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Shoot me," Heero replied.

Zechs didn't say anything at first.  "What makes you think I'm armed?"

"Because you are," he answered.

"Fine then.  But before I kill you, tell me this:  is she worth dying for?" Zechs asked, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Heero's head.

"I don't know.  I'll find out, won't I?" he said.

But just then, a weight slammed into him from the side, sending him sprawling.

"Kill him and I'll make you wish you'd never been born," a familiar voice said dangerously.

Heero got to his feet and looked at Mina, who was standing across from Zechs, who was smiling amusedly.

"He was the one who asked me to kill him," he said.

"_I know that!_  And I'm saying, if you do, you'll regret it," Mina growled.

Zechs shook his head, then put his gun back in his jacket.  "Heero, you may want to rethink your answer," he remarked, then as mysteriously as he appeared, he seemed to vanish.

Mina now turned to glare at Heero.  "What are you doing?"

"I should be asking you the same thing," he shot back.

She approached him slowly.  "I'm making sure you don't get killed."

"It's not your—" she cut him off.

"Will you shut up for a minute?  I get it that you're upset that you lost Relena.  Even if you can't admit it, I know you loved her, all right?  I'm not the Goddess of Love for nothing!  But to throw away your life just because you can't have her is stupid and selfish.  Why can't you look in the mirror and realize you mean something to other people?" she cried.

He studied her closely.  She was angry, there was no argument there.  But beneath the anger, her fear and sadness highlighted it all.  There was no doubt anymore that when she said he meant something to "other people", what she really meant was that he was important to her.

Which came as no surprise.  After all, it was Mina who had told him numerous times that she loved him.  And yet, it took on a new meaning now.  She was fighting.  _For him_.  Even if he wanted to die, she didn't want to lose him.

"I'm…sorry," Heero apologized finally.  He couldn't help it.  Something was growing stronger inside of him, the storm of emotions was tearing him apart.  But this time, it was Relena, and not Mina, that caused it.

Mina stared back at him, taken aback that he'd apologized for being suicidal.  Her anger seemed to evaporate as she stared at him, feeling his pain and sorrow.  A tiny bit of her was triumphant, however.  Now he was feeling the pain of not being able to have something desired, just like she had felt.

_Wait a minute.  If that's the way it's gonna be, I may as well leave now.  No one's gonna feel any better if we both just stand here feeling  bad.  But things aren't going to get any better_ Mina thought.

She bit her lip.  "It's all right," she said, then turned and started to walk away.

Heero didn't know what happened.  The storm suddenly burst, and he lost all control.  

Mina found herself locked in his arms.  He was standing behind her, holding her to his chest.

"Don't leave," he whispered in her ear.  

"Heero, what?" she said, then stopped when she felt him turn her around.

"Don't leave me.  Please," he repeated, putting a hand to her cheek.  "I can't lose you too."

Mina didn't say anything.  Her brain was trying to process what was happening.  Heero was holding her, begging her not to leave, and…was he scared?  What was going on?

For some reason, she broke into tears as she laid her head against his chest.  "I don't understand."

"I finally understand what you meant when you said you couldn't wait.  I already lost Relena to the waiting.  But losing you would be worse," he said, stroking her hair.

"Why?"  she asked, looking up into his Prussian blue eyes.

"Because I love you," he answered.  And every last bit of doubt dissolved as his lips met hers.  For once, the storm had settled, and there was a strange sort of peace deep within his soul.

_I knew he'd come around eventually_ Mina thought as she slipped her tongue into his mouth.

**************************************************************************************************************************

There everyone.  Heero proclaimed his love for Mina.  Happy now?  Good!  R+R+R!


	14. In the Shadows of Night

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 14

Author:  Nyneve

Um…meep!  I don't have anything interesting to say!  IT'S A SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE!!!!!!!  I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!!!  *dumps water on head*  *deep breaths*  Okay.  I'm all right now.  It's cool.  Um, anyways…my website is almost done!  A big thanks to VOL-chan and Aino-Yuy for giving me a reason to work on it!  The Kiosk at the Crossing Places should be open soon!  Anyways…don't own the anime.  Byers people!

-Nyneve

************************************************************************

Hecate's temple was dark.  The torches along the tortuous passages were long since dead, and a cave-in at the front prevented any daylight from entering.  But somehow, within the darkness, an even darker shape materialized.

It was some sort of phantom, resembling nothing more than a large wisp of ebony smoke.  It moved down the passages surely and steadily, as if it had a mind of it's own, and was set on reaching its destination.  Silently, it entered the chamber with the large pool of water.  A spine-tingling, disembodied laughter started to echo around the chamber.

Suddenly, fires rose up in the corners of the chamber, sending a bright light everywhere.  It revealed the true shape of the phantom, a multi-headed, claw-bearing, blood-covered monster, laughing hysterically.  It was currently studying tender images of the Senshi and Gundam pilots.

"Stupid mortals!  Their emotions will betray them to their deaths.  And yet," the monster looked up from the water.  "They make it so much easier to torture them too."

"But first," the monster looked into the water again.  "Show me my son, Janus."

The images on the water shimmered and changed to show a young boy and two girls playing video games.

"You're going down, Janus!" the pink-haired one cried.

"In your dreams, _Princess_," the boy shot back with a mocking tone.

The pink haired girl screeched and blew up the boy's character, then proceeded to giggle triumphantly.

However, the monster screeched too.  "HOW DARE HE!!!!  THAT BASTARD!!!!  THAT TRAITOR!!!!  JANUS!!!  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!?!?!?"

The monster splashed the water, shattering the image.  "So then, I am alone to finish my mission.  But not for long.  They will pay.  They will all pay for what has been done to me."

With that, the monster transformed into a beautiful, but deadly familiar woman.  Hecate herself.

"If I am to get anywhere close to the palace, I have to destroy the Senshi.  Lucky for me, five of them aren't even in this dimension.  All that must be done now is to make sure they never come back."

She smiled to herself, then closed her eyes and turned her face to the ceiling.  Taking a deep breath, she called out to someone or something.  "Night.  I command you to return to your mistress.  Lady Hecate is in need of your assistance."

Immediately, another woman appeared in the chamber.  She appeared around the same age as the human Hecate, but she didn't appear completely human.  Her hair was dark green and stringy, falling to her mid back.  She was dressed in bloodstained black armor, and her skin was sickeningly grayish.  Her hard eyes were dark red.

The woman, Night, fell to her knees in adoration in front of Hecate.  "My Lady, I thank thee for raising me from death.  Your goodness, your light, your power is awe-inspiring…"

"Night.  Be quiet and stand up already.  I don't have a lot of time!" Hecate snapped.  Night did as she was told.  "Now then, I've brought you back in order for you to do a job.  Oh wait a minute.  Better tell the others."

Hecate again closed her eyes and looked up.  "Nemesis.  Megaera.  Alecto.  Tisiphone.  Join your mother and your Lady Hecate."

At once, four other women materialized.  They appeared younger than Night and Hecate, but no less threatening.  

The one called Nemesis was tall, with blond and black hair in a high ponytail.  She wore no armor like her mother or sisters, but instead dressed in a green midriff top and a long skirt.  Most terrifying were her arms, which were not arms at all, but a pair of maces hanging from her biceps.

Megaera, Alecto, and Tisiphone were obviously identical triplets.  They all had dark red hair, glittery black eyes, and wore short red dresses.  However, they all had different armor and weapons.  Megaera's armor was bloody crimson, and she wielded a flaming spear.  Alectos's armor was cold blue, and she had a sword with an icy blade.  Tisiphone's armor was gold, and she was equipped with a bow and a quiver of arrows.

The girls looked as though they were about to start fawning over Hecate, when she held up and hand and shot them a threatening look.

"Welcome, daughters of Night.  I have gathered you all here for a mission.  I'm sure you remember those who so easily defeated you?" she asked.

Night and her daughters blushed slightly, and nodded.

"You should know that it is your fault they're alive. But," she paused, and her eyes narrowed.  "I'm willing enough to give you a second chance."

They threw themselves on her.  Cries of "Oh my Lady" and "We are not worthy" echoed throughout the cavern.    
  


Snarling, Hecate shoved them off.  "Stop!" 

They did.

"I will send each one of you to kill each pair of lovers.  They are no longer in this world and with them out of the way, I will be free to attack the Crystal Palace and get revenge on Serenity and my son.  But above all, remember this:  the Senshi must not return to Crystal Tokyo," she ordered.

The women bowed to her.  However, Night spoke up.  

"My Lady, we do not have enough power to kill them if we are separated.  If we could work together and destroy them one at a time…"

"WE DO NOT HAVE THAT SORT OF TIME, NIGHT!!!" Hecate bellowed.  But as Night cowered before her, she looked thoughtful.

"But you are right, about not being able to destroy them.  Very well, I will grant each one of you a power of mine.  Something you can in turn bestow on them," she replied, then grabbed Alecto's wrist.

"Give this to Deathscythe and Mercury:  Hopelessness," she let go and immediately took hold of Megaera.

"For Sandrock and Mars:  Distrust," shoving her aside, she seized Tisiphone.

"You will bestow unto Wing Zero and Venus:  Doubt," Hecate took careful caution in taking Nemesis by the shoulder.

"The blessing for Altron and Jupiter:  Anger," finally, she held Night by both hands.

"And for my dear friend Pluto and her lover, Heavyarms:  Pain," she finished, then stepped back.

No apparent change had come over Hecate's minions other than their confident looks.

"Thank you, Lady Hecate," the five women chorused.

"You're welcome.  Now begone!  I have more important matters to attend to," she ordered, walking out of the chamber.

************************************************************************

"Well?" Duo asked as he and Amy walked back toward the area where they would meet the others.

"Well what?" Amy replied.

"What do you think of Hilde?" he pressed on.  Amy smiled.

"She's wonderful Duo.  I wish we could've spent more time with her.  I don't think I've ever met a nicer, more energetic…" she paused when she noticed his indignant look.  Giggling, she kissed his cheek.  "Except you, of course."

"Thank you!" he grinned, putting his arm around her.

The wind started to pick up, and within minutes, it was snowing.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Duo asked, looking up at the sky.  However, when he did, a large, cold snowflake fell into his eye [AN:  Hey!  It happened to me once!].

Amy shook her head and told him to hold still as she brushed it away from his indigo eyes.  When she moved her hand, he hugged her.

"My hero!  Dr. Amy, Medicine Woman.  I…hey look!" he cried suddenly, pointing at the people on the street.  They had all stopped moving and were turning slightly blue.  They all looked asleep.

"What the…mass hypothermia?  But how…" Amy was cut off by a small sliver of ice slicing into her face.  She cried out in pain and put her hand to her cheek to hold back the warm, sticky blood.

"She won't be so pretty now, hm Deathscythe?  That's sure to leave a scar," a frighteningly familiar voice commented.

Duo and Ami looked up in shock to see none other than Alecto.  Snarling, Duo stepped in front of Ami and pulled out a gun.  "What are you doing here?  You're dead."

Alecto rolled her eyes.  "Oh yes.  Being dead would certainly explain how I froze all those people, and how I happen to be standing here in front of you."

"What do you want, Alecto?  He doesn't have the Thanatos anymore!  And there's no way you're getting my Bios!" Amy yelled.

She laughed.  "Foolish girl.  You should know what I want, Mercury.  I want revenge!"

Alecto raised her hands and spun around.  "Let's play a game, shall we?" she suggested, pausing to pull out her sword.  She lunged for the couple, who leapt away from each other.

Alecto smiled.  "Perfect.  Now then, we're going to have a race."  As she spoke a huge, thick wall of crystal clear ice sprang up between Duo and Amy.  As they tried to run around it, it encircled them and began to branch off, forming a large maze.

"First one to the end wins!  Second one loses.  And third one dies," she explained as she spoke to them from behind a wall.  "And watch out.  I decided to put a few surprises in here!"

With that, she took off running away from both of them.

"Damn it!  Amy, can you hear me?  You'd better transform," Duo said.

"Yes," Amy agreed, transforming.  "Oh Duo, are you okay?"

"Cold, but other than that.  Okay.  Don't worry Ames, we'll get out of this.  All we have to do is stay together on either side of the wall, and we'll eventually find our way out.  And you've got your computer, so we're even luckier!"  he said, trying to sound reassuring.  However, he didn't feel as confident as he sounded.

"I suppose…okay, let's see where our paths meet up," Amy said, pulling out her computer.  But as she did, she could hear Alecto's disembodied voice cackling in glee.

"No cheating Sailor Mercury!"  Suddenly, spikes of ice began to spring up from the floor of the maze.  Shrieking, one shot up right in front of her, smashing her computer.  

"Amy!" Duo yelled, pounding on the ice.  "Run!"

The two took off down the narrow passages that were running parallel for what seemed miles.  But then, Duo's path veered off to the left, while Amy's went to the right.

"What now?" She said, looking back.  There weren't any more spikes on her side, but that didn't mean much if the same thing could happen to Duo.  

"Stay here.  I think I see a fork up ahead in my passage.  Part of it goes towards yours.  If you can't see me anymore, yell," he said, touching the ice then turning to walk the other way.

"Be careful!" Amy warned.

But he didn't hear her as he warily walked between (and in some cases into) the walls of ice.  As it turned out, there was no fork up ahead.  Or rather, there was, but a particularly large, particularly thick wall ice wall was in front of it.

"Okay, so maybe that won't work.  Hey Amy!" He called out, turning around.  "Never mind!  It's blocked off!"

But she didn't answer.  Duo scratched his head.  How far away was he?  As he started to walk, it seemed a long ways.  But it had only taken him about ten minutes to get away from Amy.  And now, it was taking him almost a half an hour to get back to her.

"What's with this place?  What did Alecto do?" he wondered, shivering in the growing cold.  "Amy?  Hey Amy!  Where are you?"

He bit his lip when she didn't answer.  What if Alecto had gotten to her?  Or what if she had gotten hypothermia.  Those sailor suits weren't exactly insulating.

As he looked around frantically, a dark feeling began to grow in the back of his mind.  Maybe finding Amy wasn't worth it.  There was no way he was going to get out alive without her.  Even if he found his way out of the maze, there was no doubt Alecto was there waiting to kill him.  Or maybe Amy had gotten out, and been attacked by Alecto…

Meanwhile, Amy was still waiting back where the ice walls veered off from each other.  She shivered in the cold.  It was getting darker, and there was still no sign of Duo.  She had been calling his name for the past twenty minutes, but he didn't respond.  Against her will, tears started to slip from her eyes.

Because she knew Duo was dead.  There was no way he'd be able to handle the cold.  The only reason she could was because she was used to it, ice being her own power.  But she would be able to hold on much longer.  It was getting so cold, and so dark.  The ice walls were everywhere.  She would die in the maze too, either from cold or from Alecto, whose laughter seemed to travel in the biting wind.

"Duo…please come back…please…" she called out hoarsely.  

"It's no use.  He's dead," the wind said.  "I saw him.  Would you like to see?"

"No!  He can't be dead, he can't be!  Duo!" Amy cried again, breaking the frozen teardrops from her cheeks.

"He's dead, and you will be soon too.  And then you'll both suffer in Hell," the wind taunted.

"Shut…UP!" Amy cried suddenly, getting her strength back.  "He's not dead!  He's not!  I'll prove it to you!" 

With a new strength, she rose to her feet and ran down the passages, calling out Duo's name over and over again, praying for an answer.  There was never any reply, and the taunts from the wind seemed to grow louder as she ran.

"He's dead, he's dead.  You'll see him soon.  Then you'll die!" it mocked.

Amy didn't bother responding any more.  It was all a trick, some game being played by Alecto.  But nothing was going to keep her from Duo now.

The ice sparkled in the moonlight and cast warped shadows on the ground.  But one shadow wasn't warped.  It was human-shaped, and laying curled up on the ground.

"DUO!" Amy screamed, running to him at the end of the passage.  He was deathly pale, and his lips had turned blue.  "No…no!  Please talk to me Duo!  Wake up!  You have to wake up!"

"He's dead, dead…" 

"SHUT UP!" Amy yelled at the wind, rubbing Duo's bare hands with her gloved ones.  She pressed her face to his in hopes of warming it.   When she saw the small clouds of breath issuing from his mouth and nose, she burst into tears of joy.

"You're okay, you're okay…" she murmured, kissing his frozen lips.  She held him close, willing the warmth from her body to travel into his.  

After what seemed like hours, he yawned and opened his eyes.  He smiled weakly and touched her cheek.  "Amy…you're alive," he said, slowly and dreamily.  "The wind said you were dead, and that if I went to sleep I'd be with you…"

"No, no!  Don't go to sleep Duo!  You won't wake up!" she cried, slinging his arm around her shoulders and helping him stand.  "You've already got hypothermia.  We've got to get out of here."

"Yeah, I know.  I'm trying Ames, I'm trying really hard," he yawned.  Amy smiled at him, and how much he resembled a child woken up too early in the morning.

Bearing his weight, Amy managed to keep a calm head and find their way slowly through the maze.  She had to stop twice when she realized Duo had fallen asleep again.  But finally, after hours, they found their way to the end of the maze.

"Well, you two sure took long enough," Alecto commented, materializing next to them.  She took a look at Duo, and shrugged.  "At least the "Hopelessness" curse worked on one of you."

"You mean the little voice on the wind?  That's the best you have, Alecto?" Amy challenged.

Alecto glared.  "You're about to see the best I have, Mercury.  I got out first, so I win.  And since you two came out at the same time, you both lose AND you both die!" 

With that, she pulled a sword and lunged at them.  Amy moved out of the way, then stood with her back to one of the ice walls.  Gently, she lay Duo down.

"Give me your gun and don't go to sleep," she ordered.

"I can fight her Amy," he protested.

"Duo, you couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag right now," she remarked, taking his weapon.  She smiled at him.  "Don't worry Duo.  I won't leave.  I'll never leave."

Whipping herself around, she fired at Alecto, who'd just been rolling her eyes and making gagging noises.  The goddess cried out in surprise as the bullet entered her, but made no sign at actually being hurt.

"Shame on you, Mercury.  Don't you remember last time?  The gun-thing didn't work," she commented, going at her with the sword.  But Amy fired again.  And this time, she didn't hit Alecto, but the icy blade itself.  She smiled happily as it shattered into a thousand shards.

"No!  Damn you, Mercury.  Now I'm mad," Alecto threatened, sending a wave of ice towards her.  But now Amy was ready, as she met it with her own.

There was a grating sound of ice shattering as the ice collided with each other, sending shards everywhere.  Amy ducked, shielding the barely-conscious Duo with her body.  She grimaced as a the shards cut her.  But Alecto was the one who got the full attack.

She screamed in pain as the shards dug into her face, arms, and legs.  Blood ran down from the wounds and dripped onto the freshly fallen snow.  Glaring, she vanished and reappeared inches away from them.

"This is not over yet.  Next time, neither of you will come out alive!  That is, if your lover isn't dead already," she smiled wickedly, then disappeared.

Amy whirled around and tried to help Duo up, but he had fallen asleep again.  Trying to stay calm, she whispered his name over and over, and held him close to her. Eventually, he came to.

"I knew you could do it Ames," he smiled, struggling to stand.  However, it seemed to be getting warmer.  The ice and snow were melting, and the ice maze had wholly disappeared.

She blushed profusely and looked away.  Because in the back of her mind, she wasn't quite sure she could defeat Alecto.  But Duo was safe now, and that was all that really mattered.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Raye?  Are you all right?" Quatre asked as the two sat in the taxi.

"I'm fine," she answered shortly, not looking at him.  Something made her uncomfortable about being in his world.  The bad vibes were practically rattling her bones, and she couldn't help but feel distracted.

"I think…" he paused to turn her face towards him.  "You're lying.  What's wrong?"

"Just a bad feeling.  It'll be fine soon," Raye remarked.  The last thing she wanted to do now was get Quatre worried.

"Well, we should be back to the meeting point in about five minutes anyways," he answered as the cab slowed to stop at a red light.  Yawning slightly, he turned to look out the window.  But when he did, he gasped.

The face of Megaera was occupying his window.

"RAYE!" he cried, as she turned to look.  She bit her lip.

"Stop the car!" but there was no longer anyone driving.  The car suddenly started to move forward.  Soon, it was moving at lightning speeds.  Raye clambered into the drivers seat and tried to take the wheel, but found it was burning hot.   She couldn't hold it. 

"Raye, please tell me that wasn't…" Quatre trailed off as Raye nodded.

"However that demon found her way out of hell is beyond me, but we're in her hands now," she murmured.

Quatre reached forward and squeezed her shoulder.  "It'll be okay, Firebird."

Suddenly, the car screeched to a stop.  Or, it would've, had it been on pavement.  But instead, it was surrounded by high sand dunes under a scalding sky.

Warily, Quatre stepped out of the car.  Seeing no one around, he motioned for Raye to follow.  She emerged, fully transformed and holding an ofuda.

"Come on out and fight, Megaera," she snarled, looking around.

"Well, if you insist," a cocky voice commented, as the car transformed into the sneering figure of Megaera.

"What do you want, bitch?" Raye asked, poised for attack.

"Oh, now don't play dumb, Mars.  You know exactly what I want.  You and that bastard Sandrock killed me, so, 'an eye for an eye' I always say.  But do I take you, or him?" Megaera began to circle them dangerously.

"You lay a hand on Raye and…" Quatre began, but then Megaera smiled as two huge snakes rose up from out of the sand and wrapped themselves around the shocked pilot.  

"Quatre!" Raye cried, throwing the ofuda at the snakes, but they had no effect.  She watched in horror as the serpents dragged him beneath the dunes.  "NO!"

Megaera laughed and looked at the spot where Quatre had stood moments before.  "Thank you for volunteering Sandrock!"

Raye screeched and lunged at Megaera, but she was too fast.  Still giggling like a madwoman, she rose up above Raye.  "Tell you what, Mars.  I'll give you fifteen minutes to find your man.  After that, I'll kill him."

With that, she vanished into thin air.

"That bitch!" Raye screamed, then fell to her knees and frantically began digging at the spot where Quatre had been pulled under.  But as her hand moved the first bit of sand, another snake sprang out and bit her.  Eyes watering, she pulled its fangs free from her hand and squeezed the area just behind it's head.  Then to her surprise, it started to speak.

"Want a hint?" it hissed.

"Can I trust you?" she countered.

"Ssssssandrock isssssss not here," it replied.

"Where is he?" Raye asked, squeezing harder.

"Ssssss!  Where all creaturessssss mussssssst go when the sssssssun comesssssss out.  The oasssssssssisssssss…" it hissed.

Narrowing her eyes, she stood up and threw it to the ground.  "If you're lying, I'll send Phobos and Deimos to devour you and your entire family!"

"Yesssssss, Marssssssss," it agreed meekly, then started to disappear into the sand.  But before it could, she grabbed it by the tip of its tail and pulled it free.

"You forgot to tell me the way to the oasis," she remarked.

"Ssssssssilly me.  That way, to the sssssssssssoutheasssssssssssst.  Anything elsssssssssssse?" it hissed.

"No.  But you're still coming with me," she finished.

"Sssssso be it," it responded, wrapping itself around her wrist.

Still muttering, she began to walk.  Sure enough, just over the sand dune lay the oasis.  Running as fast as she could moved toward it, calling Quatre's name.  Then, she froze.

He was sitting beneath a palm tree.  Or rather, laying.  With his head in the lap of the most beautiful woman Raye had ever laid eyes on.  Her chestnut brown curls fell to her mid back, and her green eyes shone with adoration.

"I love you, Quatre," she murmured in her sweet, musical voice.

"I love you too," Quatre replied back.

"Quatre?  What the hell are you doing?" Raye cried incredulously as she walked slowly over.  

He didn't answer, but the woman did.  "Excuse me?  Do I know you?"

Raye eyes flashed as she glared at the woman, then grew soft and pained as she looked at Quatre.  "Quatre?  Can you hear me?"

"Please leave, Raye," he said finally.  "I'm fine here without you."

"How can you…what's the matter with you?" she whispered.

"You heard him.  Go away!" the woman yelled.  Then, the snake coiled around Raye's wrist hissed and sprang to the woman, sinking its fangs into her neck.  

She screamed as Quatre looked up.  But it wasn't Quatre at all.  It was one of the snakes that had dragged the real Quatre underneath the dune.  And the woman was the other.  But now, both snakes were attacking the smaller snake, which was really…

"QUATRE!!!!" Raye screamed, pulling him from the writhing mass of serpents.  Glaring at them, she rose.  "Mars Firebird!  Strike!"

The snakes hissed in agony as the bird consumed them.  Meanwhile, Raye turned to Quatre.  His shirt was torn and bloody from the wounds the snakes' fangs had dealt him.  He smiled weakly up at her.

"That demon almost made me forget who I was.  I'm not a snake, am I?" he asked.

"Of course you're not.  Just hold on a little longer," Raye said, laying him down.  "All right Megaera, game over!  Come out and fight!  Without your cowardly little pets, if you will."

Megaera materialized in front of her.  "Cowardly, hm?  I found them quite effective, especially combined with the "Distrust" curse."

Raye blushed.  She should've realized it was all a trap from the very beginning.

"I really have no need to attack you now.  "An eye for an eye"…" Megaera began, but was cut off by a stream of flame.

"You'll be lucky if you have any eyes by the time I'm done with you!  You can screw with my mind, but when you turn my boyfriend into a snake, that's when I get ticked!" Raye yelled.

"Very well then!  Bring it on, pyro," Megaera challenged, throwing a flaming spear.

Breathing quickly, Raye dodged it, then used her flame sniper to send a shower of fiery arrows at her opponent.  A few managed to burn her, but none hit any vital spots.  It was only after one stray spear managed to lodge itself in Raye's shoulder that she became angry enough to finish Megaera off.

"I will never forgive you for what you did," she hissed, sounding like the snakes.  "Fire Soul!" 

The entire oasis erupted in flame as it consumed the screaming Megaera.  "You just wait Mars!  This is not over yet!"

Just then, there was the sound of sirens.  Raye blinked, then realized she was back in the taxi, with Quatre next to her.   Except that he was unconscious, and covered with glass shards, and her shoulder was being burned by the seat in front of her.

Strong hands pulled the two of them out.  "You two all right?" the firefighter asked.

"Yeah, we're fine," Raye said, thinking quickly and sending a shower of ofuda at all of the rescue crews.  Luckily, it was snowing hard, and the flames were being smothered by a large clump of snow that had landed on the hood of the car.  

Letting Quatre lean on her, Raye ducked into an alley, trying to figure out the illusion she had just experience.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Wasn't that fun?" Lita asked as she and Wufei rode down the elevator at the Preventors HQ.

"Kino, the last time I had that much fun was when I found out I'd been resurrected by the goddess of hell," he snapped back.

"Eh? Talking 'bout Hecate?"

"No, I'm talking about Queen Elisabeth."

"Oh yeah, always knew she was a bad one."

"I'm trying to be sarcastic, Kino."

"I'm trying to be annoying, Chang."

Before another fight could break out, lightening streaked through the sky.

"Very funny," Wufei rolled his eyes.

But Lita wasn't laughing.  "That wasn't me."  

"What do you mean it wasn't you?" he looked at her, then back out the clear side of the elevator.

"I don't cause all storms, you know," she pointed out, leaning back.  Suddenly, a sickeningly familiar voice spoke over the intercom.

"Lights out, Altron and Jupiter!"

It was the voice of Nemesis.

But before either of them could say anything, the lights went out and the elevator stopped.

"Wufei!  Look!" Lita pointed out at the city.  The lights were all going out in one huge wave.

"What the hell did she do?  Turn off all the power?"  he asked.

"Exactly, Altron," Nemesis appeared, floating just on the other side of the glass.  "Hope you two aren't afraid of the dark."

"As if.  Is this your plan, Nemesis? Turn off all the lights and freak everyone out?" Lita asked.

"More or less.  Just so you know, this elevator is still fifteen stories off the ground.  It's going to drop in oh…" she paused to transform her arms into two pairs of scissors.  "A half hour."

"Why not just cut it now?" Wufei snapped, assessing her plan.

"Now where would be the fun in that?  I'll just leave you here to think about your impending doom.  Goodbye," she finished, vanishing.

Lita and Wufei stared at each other for a moment, before trying to break open the doors.

"Damn it…" she swore as she wriggled her fingers out of the crack.  It was no use.  The door was seal shut.

"We could try and smash the window, but I don't know how we'd get out that way," Wufei remarked.

"Hey, I know!  I'll blast those doors open with my powers!" Lita said, transforming.

"Are you sure you can concentrate the electricity enough so that we don't electrocute ourselves?" he asked cynically.

She rolled her eyes.  "We'll be fine.  Don't worry.  Jupiter Thunder Crash!" 

The bolts of lightening slammed into the silver doors, but then ricocheted backwards to shock the two of them.

" 'We'll be fine'…for God's sake, Kino…" Wufei muttered, standing shakily to his feet.

She stuck her tongue out at him.  "I did that on purpose, you moron.  Just to see if that would happen.  At least now we know not to try and blow the door up."

"A mystery of the universe solved," he snapped.

Lita glared at him.  "What's your problem?  I _had _to test this, to make sure we had one option completely eliminated!"

"My problem is the fact that I will yet again have to save an idiot from their own stupidity," Wufei countered.

"At least I'm smart enough to realize that we're going to die either way!"

"If we die it's going to be your fault!"

"Like hell it will!"

Without thinking, Lita lunged for him.  But Wufei was ready.  He easily deflected every blow she dealt him, and managed to land quite a few of his own.  Finally, as they stood in opposite corners of the elevator, Lita narrowed her eyes.

"Fine then.  I guess I've got no choice," she powered up a ball of electricity in her left hand.  But just before she was about to unleash it, she froze.  The ball crackled and fizzled, then finally went out.  She closed her eyes and sank to her knees.

"I can't…believe…I almost did that!  Forgive me, Wufei," she murmured.

He walked over to her, realizing what had been going on.  "It's not your fault, Lita.  Nemesis was playing games with your—our—minds."

"Aw, spoil my fun so soon, Altron?  You're no fun.  Oh well.  Have a nice TRIP!  See you next FALL!" Nemesis's voice replied.

Thinking quickly, Lita stood up just as the elevator started to fall.  "Wufei!  Do you have a good sense of timing?"

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"When I say jump, jump!" she ordered, bracing herself and lifting herself up by the rail that went around the elevator.  Wufei, catching on, followed suit.

They came closer and closer to the ground.  Then just as they started to enter the underground bottom of the shaft, Lita yelled.

"JUMP!"

Both of them leapt up as the elevator crashed to a stop below them.  There was a sickening crack as the floor fractured.  When the two landed, they instantly covered their heads as the ceiling collapsed.  Finally, they emerged from the rubble [AN:  Haven't you always wondered what would happen if you were falling down an elevator shaft and at the last moment, you jumped?].

"You all right, Wufei?" Lita asked.

"Yeah, a couple of scratches, but nothing else," he answered as they climbed out of the shaft.  This time, they were able to yank open the door, and found themselves in the basement, face to face with a surprised Nemesis.

"You…lived!  How?" she cried.

"Testing theories of gravity," Lita smirked.

Nemesis scowled.  "Fine, I'll get rid of you two myself.  Or else, I could just have you two get rid of each other for me."

"Forget it.  That trick isn't going to work again," Wufei snapped.

She shrugged.  "Oh well.  Your choice."  

Suddenly, her hand transformed into a blowpipe-like weapon.  Before anyone could stop her, a dart was already buried in Wufei's neck.  Groaning, he collapsed to the ground.  

"Now for the pri—"

There was an electric crackle as a stream of electricity shot towards the goddess.  Within a second, the blowpipe was charred and black.

"That was a dirty trick, Jupiter," Nemesis snarled, transforming her arms into a pair of axes.

"Yours wasn't much better," she countered, then dodged the swinging axes.  Pausing to examine them, she realized what she really needed to get Nemesis to do.

"En Garde!" Lita cried, grabbing a Swiffer Sweeper from the janitors cart nearby.

Rolling her eyes, Nemesis changed her arms into swords and raised them.  Which was exactly what Lita wanted.

"Supreme Thunder Crash!" she called, unleashing the innumerable watts of electricity.  Nemesis's swords/arms attracted the bolts just like a lightening rod.  A second later, the goddess was charred and black.

After a fit of coughing, she glared murderously at Lita.  "This isn't over, Jupiter."  With that, she vanished.

The lights came back on, but Wufei still laid on the ground unconscious.  Lita, realizing what she was going to have to do, groaned and bit her lip as she pulled the dart out of his neck and leaned over him.  A few minutes later, Wufei opened his eyes to find Lita's lips on his neck.

"What…are…you…doing?!?!?!?!" He cried, shoving her away.

She wiped her mouth and glared at him.  "Sucking out the poison!  Duh!"

"Idiot, that doesn't actually work!" he snapped.

"Don't called the person who just saved your ass an idiot!" Lita yelled.

"I'm not!  I'm calling the onna who just tried to give me a hickey an idiot!" he yelled back.

Lita growled.  "That's it.  I'm never saving your life again.  Save it yourself next time."  
  


"Same for you," he muttered, then smiled as soon as her back was turned.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"It's getting dark out," Mina commented as she and Heero walked back into the city.

"Scared?" Heero asked.  His face and voice held no emotion, but somehow she could tell he was teasing her.

"Maybe," she replied, not looking at him.  

He didn't say anything as he slipped his arm around her shoulders.  He didn't have to.

It was true that Heero was finally glad to be able to say he loved Mina.  But now what?  Should he make it a point to tell everyone?  Should he rethink his feelings, again?  Should he just revel in her presence?

"You're tired, aren't you?" Mina said, interrupting his thoughts.

"A little," Heero admitted.  "It's been a long day."

_And finally getting over that last block couldn't have made it any easier_ Mina thought.  She was happy that he said he loved her, but she wasn't ecstatic, like she thought she would be.  No, instead she felt content.  Everything was right.  Perfectly right.

"Is it, Venus?" whispered a voice inside Mina's head.  She screamed when she recognized it, and saw the owner stepping out from behind a building.

Heero snarled and pulled his gun when he saw Tisiphone.  "What did you do to her?"

"Just poked around inside her feeble mind.  Nothing much," she smiled, putting an arrow to her bow and pointing it at Mina.  "Now, I have her paralyzed.  You fire at me, and I'll fire at her.  Put the gun down."

Glaring, he dropped his weapon.  "Let her go."

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that.  I'm here to get revenge on you two, starting with her!" 

As she spoke, Mina suddenly screamed again and crumpled to the ground.  Heero tried to run to her, but found that Tisiphone's presence was in his mind too.  He couldn't move.

"Mina…" he managed to choke out as he watched her.

"Would you like to see what I'm showing her?  You should recognize it," Tisiphone smiled as ghostly images appeared in front of him.

He would've gasped when he recognized them.  Because it was _him_, carrying out his missions with his Gundam.  At the same moment, Mina was watching him.  Watching him destroy bases, kill innocent soldiers only following orders, and letting it all pass without so much as a flinch.  Heero, the man she loved, was a killing machine.

She fell backwards as the images cleared.  Panting she stared up at the stars.  Was everything she saw real?  
  


"Yes, everything," Tisiphone whispered.  "I may be evil, but I never lie."

"It was a long time ago…" Mina said aloud, forgetting that the real Heero was standing only a few feet away.

"But he's still a killer.  How could you ever love a bloodthirsty monster like him?" Tisiphone asked.  "He doesn't really love you, you know.  He can't.  He has no heart."

"You don't either," Mina hissed.

"To be honest, I do.  It's been broken many times, but I'm not heartless.  But he is, Venus.  He'll hurt you too."

"He'd never hurt me."

"He would, Venus.  Haven't you felt it?  You're subconsciously killing him with your suffocating emotions.  He hates it.  He'll kill you."

"NO!" Mina cried, getting to your feet.  She was shaking as she glared at Tisiphone.  "You'd never understand love, because no one loves you!  And I will not let you play with him that way either!"

She transformed, then stood next to Heero.  Gently, she touched his shoulder.  As she did, he felt all of Tisiphone's presence disappear from his mind.

"His will's too strong for the "Doubt" curse anyways.  I was just going to make him throw himself off a building, or something like that," the goddess remarked.  "But target practice is more fun anyways."

With that, she unleashed an arrow.  It missed both of them as they jumped aside.  Simultaneously, Heero fired his gun as Mina unleashed a Love Chain.

Tisiphone screamed in pain, then set her jaw and darted behind Heero.  Dropping her bow, she took hold of his head and forced her will into him.  

He blinked and his eyes glazed over as he began to shoot at Mina.  But after she took shelter behind a parked car, he turned the gun towards his head.

"NO!" Mina screamed, shooting a crescent beam a second before he pulled the trigger.  The beam knocked the gun to the side, causing the bullet to graze the side of his head and lodge itself in Tisiphone's wrist.  The goddess dropped the unconscious young man, and reached for her bow, but it was too late.  A shower of crescent beams was raining down on her.

"You'll be sorry!" she screeched before disappearing.

Mina scrambled to Heero, trying to wake him up.  "Come on, Heero!  Open your eyes!" she cried, praying that the bullet hadn't actually made contact, and that all of Tisiphone's presence was gone.

After what seemed like hours, he stirred.  Sighing in relief, Mina hugged him tightly.  "You're okay!"

"Yeah…" he trailed off, overwhelmed with guilt and shame.  Everything that Mina saw was true, and now she would never take him back.

"Heero?  What's wrong?" she asked quickly as he stood up silently and turned away.

"You shouldn't be wasting your time with me, Mina.  You're a beautiful girl with an amazing heart and soul.  You deserve someone better," he murmured, closing his eyes.  But when he opened them, he saw Mina standing in front of him.

"How can you say that Heero?" she asked.  "If you mean what you say, than "someone better" should be someone I love with all my heart.  And that someone would be you."

"Mina…" he began.

"Shut up and let's go," she cut him off with a brief kiss, then took his hand and led him away.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"You miss her, don't you?" Trista asked Trowa as they headed back towards the meeting point.

"Who, Catherine?  Yes," he answered quietly.

"She's missed you as well.  Are you sure you don't want to stay?" she asked.

There was no answer.  But Trowa didn't move from her side, or falter in his step.  He wasn't going anywhere.

Trista didn't ask him again, but she felt so guilty.  Trowa was far better loved than he thought, and she couldn't help but feel that by taking away from Catherine, the only person who could've loved him as much as she did, she was hurting him.

"Stop blaming yourself.  It's not your fault," he said, glancing sideways at her.

"I'm sorry.  I can't help it.  I don't want you to be sad," she answered.

He almost smiled at that.  How ironic that while he was doing everything he could to protect Trista from her overwhelming sadness, she was trying to heal his minor worries.  Shaking his head, he took her hand and kissed her palm gently.

"Something wrong?" Trista asked, confused.

"No.  Nothing," he replied.

"For now," added a mocking voice.  

The couple looked up to see Night herself descending in front of them.  

"Night…" Trista's eyes grew hard and cold as she felt Trowa's grip on her hand tighten.

"So you do remember me then, hm Pluto?" Night smiled.  "You know, you've been causing far too many problems lately.  Hecate's quite upset with you and your little friend, so now I have to be the one to deal with you."

"How awful," Trista remarked, transforming.  "You remember your power didn't last you last time."

"Oh, but I don't have to kill you this time.  I just have to make sure you feel what I felt, losing the most precious thing to me," she snarled.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Trista rumbled, and a pillar rose up beneath her feet so quickly that she lost grip of Trowa.  Moments later, she was standing several stories up on the stone pillar.

Just as she was about to unleash her attack, she saw Night deliver a fatal blow to Trowa's head.  As he fell limp, she rose up to be just a little higher than Trista.  She laughed as moonlight glinted off of ten gossamer strands dangling from her fingertips.  Trista gasped when Night pulled on the strands, and Trowa suddenly rose to be level with Trista, like a marionette.

Night's eyes narrowed.  "Your power may be weaker than mine, Pluto, but I have a curse on my side.  The curse of 'Pain'."

As she spoke, the strands attached to Trowa's limbs and neck began to pull in separate directions.  Trowa closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.  He would not scream in pain in front of a sadistic demon like Night.

Meanwhile, Trista winced in pain as she watched him being tortured.  The link she felt with him caused her to feel everything he did as clearly as if she were the one being ripped apart.

"Let him go!" she yelled.  She tried to move forward, but the pillar shook nervously.

"Don't move Pluto!  You never know when that thing is going to fall," Night grinned, then suddenly twisted her hands to that the threads would cut into Trowa's chest.

"I'm warning you Night…" Trista cried feebly as dark red stains appeared on Trowa's shirt and jacket.

Night paused, then yanked backwards.  Catching Trowa by the shoulders, she moved to stand gloatingly over Trista.

"Multiply that times four, Pluto.  I lost all four of my daughters because of you and the rest of those little brats.  So now, I think it's time to work on you directly," she snarled, dropping Trowa onto the pillar.  Seconds later, Trista gasped as she felt the threads pulling her backwards.  

As she started feeling the strands pulling her apart, and every now and then slackening so she'd fall and her bones would feel dislocated, Trowa rose to his feet shakily.  He tried to ignore the pain as he carefully examined Night.  At the moment, she was playing a game that involved her picking up and dropping Trista numerous times.  Finally she stopped and grinned at him.

"You'd like me to stop now, wouldn't you Heavyarms?" she asked.  "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"…" he wasn't going to give her the dignity of an answer.

"Nothing to say as usual, hm?  Very well then.  I may as well just stop."

The strands disappeared, and the pillar crumbled.  The last thing either of them could remember was falling.

Then they stopped.  Trista clutched her staff desperately, then found she could move freely.  

"Trowa?" she called uncertainly.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking around.  The face of an old man appeared in the Garnet Orb.

Trista blinked.  "_Father_?" 

"Pluto…You don't have to break the law now.  I've broken it for you," the old man said, then faded away.

The two descended slowly to the ground.  When they reached it, they ducked to avoid the crumbling pieces of rock from the pillar.

There was a deafening screech as Night spotted them.  "HOW DID YOU GET DOWN THERE?  PLUTO!!!!!!"

But Trista didn't answer.  Instead, she raised her staff and whispered, "Dead Scream".

The purple orb of energy flew into Night, who screamed in pain before disappearing.

Sighing, Trista dropped the staff and turned to Trowa.  He was grateful as her cool hands soothed his wounds.  But something still confused him.

"What did Chronos mean when he said "You don't have to break the law now"?" he asked.

"I was going to stop time.  It would've meant my complete banishment to the Gates of Time, but my father is allowed to interfere," she explained.

"…"

"…"

"…Let's head back.  It's getting late."

"I agree."

**************************************************************************************************************************

Whew!  Long chappie!  R+R, everyone!  

NOTE:  My reason for not have Quatre be affected by the curse of "Distrust" is that he's so innocent and trusting not even a curse could make him doubt Raye!  And the reason Heero wasn't completely affected by the curse of "Doubt" was that he was doubtful anyways, so you just didn't notice it.  Just like you probably didn't notice the curse of "Anger" on Lita and Wufei, on account of they fight all the time anyways.


	15. Fear

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 15

Author:  Nyneve

Ooh!  The drama and suspense builds!  Aren't you thrilled?  I'm thrilled.  Very thrilled.  So thrilled, in fact, I don't even think I'm going to promote myself!  OOPS!  That was, like, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo an accident!  *blinks*  That's the last time I drink a DQ Misty.  Too much sugar.  Yeah, anyways, don't own the anime.  Later everyone!

-Nyneve

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Quatre?  Are you all right?" Raye asked as he slowly became conscious.

"Raye…how long have I been out?" he asked, looking around. They were in the safety of an alley, sheltered behind a large freezer.  However, warmth seemed to radiate from the woman next to him.

"About forty-five minutes, I'd guess.  But it's too late anyways.  The door's closed.  We're stranded here," she murmured.

"You can't be serious…" Quatre asked, knowing for sure she was.  "But if Megaera attacked us, that means the others could be in danger too!"

"I know.  But they've probably gone back already.  Maybe they're safer in Crystal Tokyo," Raye pointed out.

"Yeah, we probably would be.  Then again, if you two managed to take care of the demon like Amy did…" remarked a figure stepping around the cooler

"Duo!" Quatre cried, sitting up quickly.  He winced in pain, realizing the wounds Megaera had dealt him were worse than he first thought.

Raye curled her arm protectively around his shoulders.  "Duo, where's Amy?" she asked.

"Right here," the woman in question replied, "And guess who else got left behind?" 

Mina and an exhausted looking Heero were right behind her.  Duo looked at them a moment, then smirked.

"Lemme guess…Tisiphone?  Bow and arrow girl?" he asked.

"Good guess," Mina replied shortly, clearly wrapped up in her concern for Heero.

"Well, at least we're not the only ones left behind.  I wonder if the others met up with anyone?" Raye asked.

"What do you know?  A congregation in the alley?  I wonder what it's about?" replied a sarcastic voice.

"Lita?  Wufei?" Amy asked as the two walked down the alley.  "This is really ironic…"

"Yeah!  Now watch, Trowa and Trista will walk in here in…five, four, three, two, one…" Duo pointed at the entranceway.

Sure enough, the remaining two travelers entered in.

"Duo, we could hear your voice three blocks away.  You ought to realize the danger you're putting everyone in, revealing us to the enemy and such…" Trista scolded lightly as they passed.  "I guess we should've seen this coming."

"No kidding.  I don't want to think about the havoc probably being wreaked at home.  If they got here by dimension traveling, they could probably get to Crystal Tokyo too.  And with us gone, that leaves only Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn to protect the Royal Family," Lita said.

"That's probably what they were aiming for," Trowa pointed out.

"We can't start worrying about everyone at home though.  Not yet," Amy remarked.  "We're still worrying about the way to get back home.  The door's long since closed.  I could try and hack it from here, but there's the problem of the power supply.  There's no way it'd ever open long enough for all of us to get through.  I doubt it could even open in another dimension with it's lack of fuel."

"So…how do we get back?" Mina asked, looking around.  

"There might be a way…" Trista began.

"Oh yeah!  You're the Time Goddess, right?  You can send us all back!" Duo cried

"It's not that simple.  I can't just "send" you back.  We have to go ourselves, through the Gates of Time.  And with such a large group, it will be difficult for us to stay together AND avoid detection.  It is very easy to become lost between times, and if that happens…"

She didn't bring herself to finish.

"If anyone has any other suggestions, say so now.  It sounds as though this is our only option," Wufei remarked.

"I'm all for it.  No offense, but you guys don't look so great," Lita said.

"I'm sure we all need medical attention, but it'll have to wait.  We'd better get going," Amy added.

Trowa glanced sideways at Trista.  "Are you really up to this?  You took a pretty bad beating back there…"

"I'll be all right.  Don't worry about me.  I know the Gates of Time like the back of my hand," she replied, then raised her staff.

There was a blinding light as fog filled the alley.  Moments later, the group found themselves in an empty area.  Empty, except for the swirling winds and blinding fog.

Trista raised her staff and pointed it towards a huge set of iron doors a few hundred yards away.  "Those are the Gates of Time.  Move towards them in a straight line.  Don't look back, or veer off in any direction," she yelled over the wind, then headed towards them quickly.

As the others followed suit, the wind suddenly died down.  However, the mists grew even thicker.  

"What's going on?  Pluto!" Raye called.  Suddenly, she was aware of something slamming into her side.  Luckily, Quatre's arms were waiting.

"Mars?  What's wr…oh great," Lita snarled as a familiar laugh echoed through the mists.

"Hecate…" Duo muttered as her image became visible.  "How'd you get here?"

"Oh, Hecate isn't here.  I'm only her shadow.  She told me to give you her regards.  You see, she's at the Crystal Palace, and is very disappointed to find that none of you are there.  And if you'd like to see your precious Queen alive again, go to the Palace disarmed.  _All_ of you," the image warned.

"Damn you!" Raye screamed, trying to shatter the shadow with her hand.  

"You're lying," Amy accused darkly.

"Am I?" she asked, as the image changed to Serenity, chained to the wall of Hecate's temple.  "I'll leave you with that.  See you in a while…"

With that, the image vanished, and the wind picked up again.  There was silence as everyone moved to the doors.  Once there, the wind calmed down and everything was still.

"So…what do we do?  Show up unarmed?" Amy asked.

"Are you nuts?  This is obviously a trap," Mina argued.

"Mina's right.  It's not the first time Hecate's made us hallucinate.  It could be an illusion," Quatre added.

"But if they DO have Serenity…"  Lita pointed out.

"We'll need to be able to fight even more if we're going to get her back," Trista finished.  "Be ready for an attack."

She opened the Gates.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Finally!  You guys took forever!" Rini cried, jumping of from the chair in the lab.  She blinked suddenly.  "Hey!  Why didn't you come out of the Doorway?"

"Can't you see it's closed?" Janus snapped, looking at it.

"Are you all right?  We were getting worried," Hotaru replied.

The group returning looked at each other.

"You guys?  Is everything all okay here?" Duo asked.

Rini looked at him oddly.  "Yeah, why?  Did you expect something would go wrong?"

"Um…"

"Rini, where's your mom and dad?  We need to speak to them.  _Now_," Mina said quickly.

"Still eating dinner, I think.  What's going on?" she cried.

"Don't worry Small Lady.  It doesn't concern you.  Still…" Trista looked outside warily.  "You three stay together, and stay indoors."

"But…" 

"_Rini!_ You heard her," Janus said forcefully.  "We'll be fine.  Let's go play video games in your room."

"Good idea," Hotaru replied.  "Come on Rini."

The three headed down the hall and up the stairs.

"So, Hecate was lying," Wufei remarked.

"Big surprise," Raye added.

"Still, we'd better explain what happened to the King and Queen.  Just because Hecate hasn't attacked _yet_ doesn't mean she isn't planning on it," Duo suggested.

"I guess this really means she isn't dead," Mina said quietly.

"She's a goddess.  Nothing can kill her.  All we can hope for is that her power will be broken and she'll fade away.  That's the only thing keeping her solid," Trista explained.  

"But she's gotten stronger, I think.  To summon Night and her daughters must have taken a lot of strength.  And her shadow alone was strong enough to get to the Time Gates and create those images," Amy pointed out.

"It's going to take a lot to beat her, that's for sure," Lita said.

But would they be strong enough?

**************************************************************************************************************************

"WHAT?" Serenity cried after the five stories were told.  "I thought Heero killed Hecate!"

"Apparently not.  But it doesn't really surprise me," Endymion said.  "I'm glad you all got back in one piece."

"Oh!  I completely forgot out that!" Amy cried, looking the boys.  The girls didn't seem much worse for wear, but Duo and the others were bruised, bloody, and Heero didn't appear to be paying much attention to anything.  "You five come with me, I'll take a look at you."

"Aw Ames…" Duo began.

The warning look Amy shot him shut him up, and drove any thoughts of resistance from the others.  

After they were gone, Raye went on to speak.  "Your Highness, we need to be on guard.  Hecate's attack could come at any time."

"Raye's right.  I'll alert Neptune and Uranus.  I think it would be best if they joined Trista and Hotaru in the Taurus Suits.  That is, if you don't mind?" Endymion asked.

"Of course not.  The boys aren't in any shape to handle the Gundams right now.  But…" she paused.  "Make sure they are secure.  If something should happen to us, the pilots will need them."

"I'll monitor the communications system," Mina offered.

"And I'll see if I can predict Hecate's moves," Raye said.  "Lita, stay with Serenity, Rini, and Janus."

"Got it.  Your Majesty, don't worry about a thing.  Everything is under control," she smiled.

With that, they departed.  Endymion and Trista headed towards the hangars, while Raye went towards her bedroom, and Mina moved off to the control room.  But as she stepped out, she saw a small figure hiding in the corner.

Smiling, she looked at it.  "I see you!  Come on out, you spy!"

"I'm not a spy," came the solemn answer.  Mina blinked when she realized it was not Rini, as she suspected, but Janus.

"Janus?  I was only kidding.  What are you doing hiding back there?"  She asked as he came out.

"Listening to what you said.  I knew it had something to do with my mother," he said.

"Oh…" Mina murmured.

"I'm sorry she's like this, Venus.  I never realized how mean she was.  I hate her now, for attacking you.  And I want you to know; I'm on your side now.  Like Rini said, I'm a good guy," Janus said.

"We never thought you were bad, Janus.  Not once," she replied, hugging him tightly.

"Not even for what I did to Quatre?  Or all those things I let my mother do to the Gundam Pilots?" he asked.

"It's not your fault.  And we won't let anything happen to you Janus.  You're one of us," Mina said firmly.  "Don't forget that.  Now go find Rini and Hotaru.  Tell Hotaru to go to the hangars and then you and Rini stay with the Queen.  Understand?"

"Yes.  Thank you, Venus," Janus said shyly.

"You can call me Mina," she smiled, then headed off.

**************************************************************************************************************************

"Well, you guys should be okay in the morning.  I can get you some painkillers if you like," Amy offered.

"It's not that bad, Amy.  Actually, I can…ow!" Duo cried as pain coursed through his body.  Amy shook her head and handed him the pills and a glass of water.

"But we should still be out helping you.  If Hecate attacks—" Quatre began.

"We'll be fine.  The Outers are in the Taurus suits, and the rest of us are strong enough to fight," Amy cut in.

"So are we!" Wufei snapped stubbornly.

"You most certainly are not," Amy replied calmly.  "And I'm not going to listen to any more complaints."

"Ha!  Wu-man got in trouble!" Duo grinned.

Amy sighed as the two went at it.  If they wanted to fight so much, better they go at it with each other then to try and take on Hecate and her warriors.

"If you want to sleep in your own rooms, go ahead.  I've got some work to do on the Palace's security system," she said to Trowa and Heero, the only ones that hadn't said anything.

"All right.  If there's any trouble, let us know," Heero said as he left.

"Don't stay up all night, Amy.  You and the others need rest just as much as we do," Quatre remarked as he and Trowa followed.

Wufei left wordlessly, but glaring murderously at Duo.

"Duo?  Aren't you going too?" she asked.

"Nah.  I figure, I'd better keep my eye on you.  Make sure you don't work yourself to the point of collapse," he explained.  His tone was deadly serious, but he was smiling.

"Where would I be without you?" she asked, kissing his cheek.

"Dunno.  I ask myself the same question sometimes," he pointed out.

"Go to sleep.  I'll wake you if Hecate arrives and holds a knife to my throat," Amy remarked, smirking.

"'Kay.  I'll rip her into shreds for you," Duo replied, leaning back on the bed and closing his eyes.

Shaking her head, Amy turned to the computer screen.

**************************************************************************************************************************

The night passed very uneventfully.  Still, everyone was on edge.  

"The waiting is starting to get worse than any attack Hecate could deal out!" Raye cried as she paced the balcony.

"Maybe that's what she wants?" Quatre suggested.

"It's possible.  She's got a sick sense of humor," Trowa pointed out.

"Or else she's trying to wear us out," Mina said.  "Staying up all night with the Tauruses must have taken a real toll on Trista and the others.  They're still not up."

"Actually, Hotaru and I am," Trista replied, stepping out into the misty morning.  "We weren't up all night either.  We worked in shifts, so all of us got some sleep."

"What about Lita and Amy?" Quatre asked.

"Lita hasn't slept all night, and she's _still_ up.  Amy went to be around 2:00 or so," Trista answered.  "As for Heero, Duo, and Wufei…"

"Heero said he wanted to talk to Endymion about the Gundams.  I don't know about the others," Trowa said.

Suddenly, there was a crash.  "Maxwell.  You will die now," Wufei replied, deadly calm from inside.

Duo burst into the room and ran onto the balcony.  "Amy!  Save me!"

Pausing to look around, he paled when he realized his beloved Amy wasn't there.  "Um…Trista!  You're nice and tall!" With that, he darted behind her and tried not to be noticed.  "If Wu-man asks, I jumped off the balcony to my death."

"Yeah…" Raye rolled her eyes as Wufei stormed onto the balcony.  She pointed to Trista, who stepped aside to reveal the cowering Duo.

"Maxwell…" Wufei began.

Just then, there was a deafening rumble, and darkness covered the Palace.

"God damn it…" Mina swore as the area surrounding the palace began to glow dark red.

"Get inside!  Now!" Trista cried, as another rumble shook the palace.  The balcony began to shake beneath their feet.

"Oh my god!" Raye cried as it began to crumble away. As everyone got inside and away from the door, it suddenly collapsed, with her still on it.  

"Raye!" Quatre yelled, reaching down to grab her hand.  By some miracle, he caught it.  Pulling her up, he held her to him as they moved inside.

"Are you all right Mars?" Mina asked, flitting around her friend.

"Yeah…thanks Quatre," she whispered, hugging him tightly.

"It's nothing.  But we've got to find the others, and fast," he said as they took off running down the hallway.

They found Lita with Serenity, Rini and Janus, and Amy with Amara and Michelle in the library.  But Heero was still unaccounted for.

"Where could he have gone?" Mina cried as she ran through the corridors calling his name.  According to Amy, the damage Tisiphone had dealt to his mind wasn't fatal, but that didn't stop the dark thoughts from tormenting Mina.

Finally, she found him in a rarely used conference room.  To her horror, he was locked in combat with Hecate herself.

"Heero!" she yelled, darting running over.  

"Thrilling.  Another little pest to get rid of," Hecate groaned.  

Mina glared at her and unleashed a love chain.  The goddess brushed it off.

"I hate how cocky you little girls are.  When are you going to get it through your heads?  Your power is no match for..." 

Suddenly, Heero delivered a blow to Hecate's stomach that sent her sprawling into a bookshelf, which fell forwards on top of her.  Then, he grabbed Mina's wrist.

"Come on.  That bought us a minute, at most," he said as they darted out of the room to rejoin the others.

"There you are!  What happened?" Amy cried as the two arrived in the throne room, breathless.

"Hecate's…in the Palace…" Mina panted.  

"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!" 

"Get the Royal Family to safety.  We'll try to hold her off," Heero ordered.

"Too late," sneered Hecate, materializing in front of them, complete with Night and her daughters.  "Wow, I'm surprised.  The Senshi, Gundam pilots, _and_ Royal Family all in one spot.  And is that…? My son?  Janus?"

Janus stood defiantly in front of his mother.  "I'm not your son any more.  I'm not your slave either."

Hecate narrowed her eyes.  "Just you watch, boy.  I'll break that will of yours.  But not before I break every bone in your body!" She screamed as she unleashed a glowing red ball of energy.

"No!" Rini screamed, pushing him out of the way.  The ball smashed into her body.

"RINI!" Serenity and Endymion cried in terror as their daughter fell to the ground.  Her limbs were bent at unnatural angles, and her eyes stared blankly at nothing.

"Huh.  I missed.  What a shame," Hecate rolled her eyes.

Serenity picked up her daughter and clutched her to her chest.  There was no heartbeat, and no breath issued from her daughter's mouth.  Rini was dead.  [AN:  Aw, come on!  You all knew I was gonna do that!  Admit it!]

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Serenity wailed, collapsing to the ground in tears.  The Senshi and pilots could only stare sympathetically.  Endymion on the other hand…

"I will make you pay for that, you witch!" he yelled, as armor materialized over him and a sword appeared in his hand.  However, tears were falling down his face as he lunged at the Goddess.

"Allow me," Night snarled, moving in front of Hecate, her own sword drawn.  

As the two fought, the Senshi and pilots tried to attack, but realized they couldn't without hitting Endymion as well.  Instead, they stood in front of Serenity, protecting her from the attacks that never came.  Hecate and Night's daughters were too absorbed in watching the fight between the King and Goddess.

Just then, Endymion delivered a blow to Night that threw her to the ground.  But just as he was about to run his sword through her, an arrow lodged itself in his throat.  He gasped for breath, then fell backwards. He was dead before he hit the ground [AN:  Yeah, I've had that planned for a long time too.  I'm sure you all guessed it though.  We all know the people I hate.]. Tisiphone smiled proudly and lowered her bow.

"Well, well, well, Serenity. First your daughter, now your husband.  What next?  Oh, I know! How about your friends?" Hecate grinned wickedly.

Serenity stood up.  "No.  I beg you, no more killing.  Spare them.  Take me instead.  You know I'm the one you want.  Just leave them alone," she whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

"Excuse me?  Not to say that I don't LOVE to hear you begging for your friends lives, but I intend on making you suffer before sending you to your grave," Hecate snarled, then unleashed another orb of power.  This time, no one was safe.

Everyone was thrown backwards against the wall.  However, they were all stronger than Rini, and managed to struggle back to their feet.

"Fun ride?  Why don't you go again?" Hecate smiled.  But suddenly, there was a blinding light.

Amy glared and closed her mini-computer [AN:  Okay, it might've been smashed last chapter, but she's probably got a spare, or something].  "You will not attack us again."

"Amy, what?" the Queen was cut off as she suddenly went rigid and fell backwards as crystal encased her body.

"You think that's going to save her?" Hecate rolled her eyes, then attacked the statue.  To her surprised, nothing happened.  She tried to attack again, and still no effect.

"Grrrrrrr…WHAT DID YOU DO?" she screamed.

"I followed through on our plan.  That's the Silver Crystal covering her.  You'll never break it," Amy smiled triumphantly.

"Little wretch," Alecto growled, sending a wave of ice towards her.  

Hecate narrowed her eyes, then suddenly, her hands glowed red.  Raising them up, the Queen followed, then floated in front of the Goddesses.  "Fine then.  I'll take her as a consolation prize, and destroy her by my own means.  Night!"

"Yes, my Lady," she answered, turning to her.

"You and yours do what you like with the rest of them.  Kill Janus at all costs," Hecate ordered, then disappeared, taking Serenity with her.

"Done.  May as well start with orders, and then…" she paused when she realized Hecate's son was nowhere to be found.  Neither was Sailor Saturn.

"Damn it!  I'll get them!" she screamed.  

"Over my dead body!" Uranus cried, lunging at her with her space sword drawn.  Night easily brushed her away.

"Hm…that was awkwardly fun.  And you're not even the one I want to take care of.  Maybe…" she smiled and looked at her daughters.  "Why don't you go right ahead and have some fun.  We all will."

"Lovely," Megaera grinned, shooting a stream of fire at Raye.  

She braced herself, but oddly, the fire didn't burn.  Instead, it wrapped itself around her like a rope and yanked her upwards.

"Sorry Mars.  But I'd prefer to play on my turf.  And Sandrock?  You're welcome to join us!  I'll be in the West!" Megaera grinned, then vanished.

"Hm…I think I'll follow my sister's lead," Tisiphone replied, shooting a string of arrows towards Mina.

Heero shoved her out of the way, but grimaced in pain as the arrows scratched his face and arms.  But one missed him, and buried itself in Mina's chest.  Her eyes glazed over as Tisiphone pulled her up.

"Come and claim her, Wing Zero.  I dare you.  Come to the East," Tisiphone ordered.

"Well, if those two are going to do it…" Alecto shrugged.  But Duo was too fast.  He had his arms locked firmly around Amy.

"She's not going anywhere lady!" he yelled.

"I beg to differ," Alecto replied, shooting a beam of ice at them.  It hit Amy in the forehead, then spread down her body, encasing her in ice.  Duo couldn't hold on.

Levitating Amy in front of her, Alecto remained calm.  "I like cold climates.  Follow me to the North if you want her back."

"Hm…and that leaves Jupiter…" Nemesis grinned, transforming her arms into a pair of whips.  With one, she inflicted a few lashes to Wufei.  With the other, she wrapped it around the struggling Lita.  Once she was close enough, she squeezed her neck.  Lita blinked momentarily, then passed out.

"And so, the only place left now is the South.  I'll see you in a while, Altron," she smiled.

"Now I'm left with Pluto, how convenient.  Not to mention, a lovely palace at that," Night smiled.  Before attacking, however, she sent a sideways blast at Uranus and Neptune, throwing them out the window.  

Trista screamed and ran towards her friends, Trowa on her heels.  Unfortunately, Night beat them both.  Kicking Trowa beneath the chin, she wrenched the Time Staff out of Trista's hands and delivered a deadly blow to her head with it.  

"If you can hear me, boy, your precious Pluto will be right here, on the palace grounds.  We'll be waiting for you," she sneered, then like her offspring, vanished.

**************************************************************************************************************************

*gasp*  What a place to leave off?  I know, I know, the drama is killing you.  R+R+R!


	16. In The Name of Love

The Other Side of Paradise

Part 16

Author:  Nyneve

Sorry it's taken so long to update everyone.  Just so you know, I didn't die, or anything.  But these first few weeks of school have been crazy.  I mean, we're talking crazier than me!  And that's saying something!  But I don't want to deny you the second part of a cliffie, because that would be cruel and sadistic.  Although that fits me well, I've just started the four years of hell and homework known as high school, and I'm in no position to be tormenting people.  Anyways, enough of my complaining!  Chappie time!  Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

*********************************************************************************************

"Damn it…they're gone!" Duo cursed as he pulled himself to his feet.  He closed his eyes.  There was no way he was going to cry now.  That didn't stop his anguished muttering though.  "Amy…I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…"

"Duo…" Quatre murmured, touching his friend's shoulder.

"I can't believe that demon beat us!"  Wufei cried angrily, staring at the spot Lita had been only moments before.  He didn't even notice the long gashes on his arms, courtesy of Nemesis' flails.

"They've gotten stronger.  A lot stronger," Heero commented.

Trowa remained silent, then looked out the window Neptune and Uranus had been hurled out.  They lay unconscious on the overhang below.  He glanced backwards toward Heero.

"Give me a hand," he said.  Heero nodded as the two stepped out the window to retrieve the fallen Senshi.  Once inside, the women began to wake up.

"Ah…my head…" Neptune murmured as Uranus helped her sit up.

"Are you two okay?"  Quatre asked.

"Yeah, we're fine.  How about you guys?"  Uranus asked, looking at them.  No one appeared to be too beat up.

"We'll be okay once we get the rest of the Senshi back," Duo answered.  "We gotta help them!"

"But we can't just leave Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune here!" Quatre argued.

"Don't you want to save Raye?"

"Of course I want to save Raye!" 

"Just relax you guys.  Listen, get your Gundams and go save the girls.  Uranus and I need to find Saturn and Janus.  Then, when all of us are together again, we can figure out how to save the Queen," Neptune suggested.

"Okay.  Be careful, both of you," Heero said, turning and heading towards the hangar without a look back.  The other pilots followed suit.

"Ha.  _We_ should be the ones telling _them_ that," Uranus commented once they were gone.

"But they wouldn't listen," Neptune replied.

"Yeah, you're right."

"Come on, let's go."

*********************************************************************************************

"To the North?  How far north did she mean?" Duo muttered as he and Deathscythe headed in the direction Alecto had instructed him.  It seemed as though he'd been going forever.  But there was no way he'd let Amy down.  She had been able to protect him so many times, and he was ashamed that he couldn't do the same for her.

Suddenly, a burst of white-blue light a few miles ahead interrupted his thought.  A second later, it refined itself into a single, clear beam traveling straight up into the sky, for what seemed infinity.  He immediately recognized its source.

"Amy…" he closed his eyes.  "DAMN YOU ALECTO!  IF YOU'VE DONE ANYTHING TO HER, I'LL…"

"Oh, quit the dramatics boy.  You should be happy I showed you my hiding spot.  Now move it!" Alecto's voice rang out through the sky.

"…" he raised his beam scythe.

"Oh, and I wouldn't do that if I were you.  Your precious Mercury could get hurt," she warned.  "In fact, if you want to see her again, surrender your Gundam."

"You gotta be joking!  I'm not handing over Deathscythe to a witch like you!" he snapped.

"It's your choice.  Your Gundam, or your girlfriend.  I won't be picky," Alecto mocked.  "Mercury, on the other hand…"

_I'm sorry buddy,_ Duo thought, then stepped out of the cockpit.  "Fine, Alecto.  Take it.  Now where is she?" 

"Move towards the light, idiot.  Her power's so strong even YOU should be able to see it's radiation.  And hurry it up before I exhaust it," she answered.

Setting his jaw, Duo broke out at a run through the forest of dead trees.  Snow began to fall, and the wind picked up.  Ice seemed to wrap around and try to strangle him.  But he wasn't going to turn back now.  Amy was so close, he could feel her pain.  And the light was growing dimmer.

Finally, he stumbled into an open area.  A group of tall stones stood in a circle.  And in the center was the smirking Alecto, standing next to a tall, icy pillar that was glowing dimly.  Duo's stomach dropped when he got a better look at it.  Sealed inside was Amy, standing rigid and pale.

"What the hell did you do to her?" he yelled, running to the pillar, shoving Alecto aside in the process.  He could see it clearly now.  Amy had no way of breathing.  Her lips were blue, and she appeared to be asleep.  But she would never wake up.

"Are you going to cry, Deathscythe?  Because I'd be more than happy to let you mourn for her before you die," Alecto replied cheerfully.

His emotions betraying him, hot tears slid down his face.  Amy was gone…forever…

"You…" he began, turning around.  His violet eyes were cold and sharp.  "I will never forgive you this!  Not even when your sorry carcass is laying at my feet!" 

"Heh.  Tell you what," she replied.  "How about a little wager?"

He paused.  "What?!?!" he cried, totally bewildered.

"Take a look behind you," Alecto ordered

As he did, he saw the pillar shatter into a thousand pieces.  And none of them contained the girl who had been there only moments before.

"What the…" Duo muttered as suddenly, the other stones in the circle began to glow.  Each of them became identical to the shattered pillar before it had broken.  Except now, they seemed hollow, not pure ice.  Rather, just frozen containers, each holding the same unconscious figure of Sailor Mercury.

"You didn't really think I'd kill her without an audience, did you?  No, when I kill her, I _want_ you to see it.  But you like to cut deals with death.  So, here's the plan.  Pick any pillar.  That'll be the prize.  Then, we fight. The winner gets the prize," Alecto explained.

"…How do I know that Amy's actually in one of them, that this isn't another one of your stupid tricks?" he asked.

"Can't you feel her presence?  Not even _I_ can replicate that.  It's just a matter of picking the right girl," she answered.

He thought for a moment, then became aware of the third presence of Amy.  Why hadn't he felt it before?  She was still alive.  Barely, but he wasn't going to let her die.  

"Okay, you've got yourself a deal, Lady," he said.

"Excellent.  Go ahead and pick, then we'll begin," Alecto instructed.  

Glaring back at her, and making sure his back wasn't turned to her at any time, he carefully felt for the source of Amy's presence among the many.  For some reason, he was reminded of the day she showed him her lab, and the carbon-holographs.

_"I don't get it!  They were supposed to be identical!"_

_"Aw, it was easy!  Only one of them has that soul of yours…"_

He stopped in front of one of the pillars, seemingly the same as the others.  But he could feel her, deep inside the icy column.  Her kindness, her pure heart, and her love…for him…

"This one.  This is the real Amy," he said finally.

"Are you sure?" Alecto asked.

"I said this was the one!  Now can we just get to the part where I deliver you personally to hell?" he snapped.

"Fine, your choice.  For your sake, I hope you're right," she answered, snapping her fingers.  The rest of the pillars shattered, and the one Duo chose rose high into the air above them.

"Kill me, and it'll come down.  Beg for mercy, and I'll release her so you can die together," Alecto smiled suddenly, and drew her sword.  "And don't worry, you will.  It seems that in your emotional rampage, you forgot one little fact:  you have no weapons."

With that, she lunged at him.  Grunting, he managed to dodge her blow by moving to the right.  Then, eyeing the dead forest, he darted into it, hiding behind trees.

"Damn…what the hell am I doing?  I can't just hide here!  But without a weapon, what else is there?" he wondered, then thought about Deathscythe.  It was still on the other side of the forest.  If he made a break for it, he might be able to make it in time.

"On three," he muttered to himself.  "One…two…"

"Found you!" Alecto cried, thrusting her sword into his shoulder.

He gritted his teeth against the pain.  The blade was removed, he could feel the hot blood gushing out of his shoulder.  His head started to hurt, and he was getting dizzy.  

"I…won't…die!" he cried stubbornly.  Suddenly, he felt something push itself out of his chest.  He heard Alecto gasp.  The pain in his arm suddenly ceased.  In fact, he felt stronger than ever.  He blinked and looked in front of him.

Floating before him was a shard of crystal, about the size of a grapefruit wedge.  It was sinister black, yet seemed to glow.

"The Thanatos Shard?  It can't be!  They dispersed when you died the first time!" Alecto exclaimed, but for the first time, Duo could sense fear in her voice.  It gave him new strength.

"Get used to it.  Looks like Shinigami's here to stay!" he grinned, then reached for the shard.  It suddenly stretched into the shape of a half-moon, sharp and shiny.  A long rod appeared at the end of one side, forming a scythe.  Duo gripped it firmly, then looked at Alecto.

"All right, Alecto!  This one's for Ames!" he yelled, then swept at her with it.

She was still too stunned to fight back.  The scythe made a long gash across her, from her shoulder to her hip.  Her eyes went blank, and she collapsed.  And this time, Duo could sense that she was dead for real.

But there was no time to gloat over her.  Still holding onto the scythe, he turned and ran for the floating pillar.  When he was directly below it, there was a crackling, then a crash as the pillar shattered and the limp body of Amy fell.  Dropping his weapon, Duo held out his arms to catch her.

"Amy!  You're o—" he stopped when he realized Amy was still unconscious.  Her breathing was staggered, and her heartbeat was slow.

"Amy?  Come on!  Wake up!" he coaxed, kneeling down and holding her into a sitting position.  But she still made no move.

Fears started to race through his mind.  What if Alecto really had killed her?  Or else, set some curse on her so that she would die…

"Please Ames?  Wake up!  Damn it, don't die!  I can't lose you!" he cried urgently, willing her to live.  But the life was leaving her fast.  "Amy…please.  I'm not ready to let you go!  I still want to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love!  AMY!"

"She can't hear you," a low voice responded.  Duo looked up to see…

"Alecto?  Damn it, not you again," he cursed, reaching for the scythe.

"No, Duo.  I am not Alecto.  She is dead, thanks to you.  And now, I am free," Alecto replied.  "My name is Truth.  I am the Force of Judgment trapped inside the Fury Alecto.  But the power of the Thanatos has destroyed her, and allows me to take her body."

He stared at her.  Was she lying?  Alecto did have a lot of tricks…

And yet, this woman didn't look _exactly_ like Alecto.  She was shorter, frailer.  Her skin wasn't quite as pale as Alecto's and her eyes didn't hold that mocking look.  Instead, they seemed wise and clear.  And instead of Alecto's armor, she wore a simple white dress with a naked silver sword hanging at her side.

"Well…if you're Truth, I guess you wouldn't lie, would you?" he deduced, then turned back to the woman in his arms.  "Please, can you tell me how to help her?"

"Amy is dying, Duo.  The Thanatos draws life from all except itself and its bearer.  Amy was already weak from having her power exploited, and by using your shard, you've all but destroyed her," Truth explained.   

Duo froze.  "I…I didn't know!  I'm sorry!  I didn't realize that by using it I was hurting her!"

"Don't apologize.  By doing what you've done, you've destroyed Alecto.  She will never hurt anyone again," Truth pointed out.

"If it meant I'd get to keep Amy, I would've forfeited my life to Alecto," he muttered.

"She means that much to you?  She's only a girl, Duo.  Not an angel, not a goddess, only a girl who gave her heart to a young man.  Her story has been told many times.  This is not the first—"

"Don't!" Duo yelled.  "I don't need to hear any more of your damn logic!  I get it when they say the Truth hurts, but you don't need to be a sadist!"

"Duo…I would not understand the heart of a mortal man.  I am a Force of Judgment, I feel no emotions.  And yet," she touched his shoulder.  "You evoke sympathy.  How strange…"

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and she was gone.

"Wait!  Truth!" Duo cried, looking around for her.  Then he felt the weight in his arms move.

He was too afraid to look, for fear that it might not be true…

"Duo?" Amy murmured, looking up at him.

Duo stared at her a moment, then pressed his lips against hers.  He wrapped his arms around her, as if she would be gone if he ever let go.

They let the snow fall, gently now, with no bite or sting.  Snowflakes stuck in their hair and on their eyelashes as their kiss lingered on.  Finally, Amy pulled away.

"I'm glad you're okay," she replied awkwardly.

"Yeah.  Oh God Amy…"

And they continued on, with the moon reflecting off of the blanket of snow.

*********************************************************************************************

Quatre was silent as he moved westward on Sandrock.  He didn't dare to think about Raye, in case she'd evoke too many emotions for him to control.  But it was so difficult not to pray to see her, safe and sound, on the ground below.

_As long as she's alive…_ he thought.  

He suddenly realized how hot and dead the area looked.  Only a moment before, it seemed, it was alive and full of life.  Now, it was bone dry…

"…Megaera…" he concluded, then narrowed his eyes for any sign of her.  Just then, he got one.

Flames burst out everywhere.  They were impossibly high, and some actually seemed to be streams of fire aimed at him.  

"Well, you _did_ call my name," a snotty voice pointed out.  It was undoubtedly Megaera's.  "Now then, make it more fun by coming out of your Gundam.  Pretty please?"

"Where's Raye?" Quatre demanded.

"Oh…I don't know.  Maybe I shouldn't tell you," Megaera said.  "You don't seem to want to cooperate with me."

"The day I 'cooperate' with you is the day I go to my grave and take everyone I love with me!" he snarled.

"Feisty, aren't you?  Ironic though, today is that day," Suddenly, there was a loud rumble.  "Evacuate now, or I'll self-destruct your toy."

"You can't—"

Sure enough, the self-destruct sequence was initiated.  Cursing to himself, he left the cockpit, where Megaera was waiting.

"Excellent.  Aren't things _so_ much easier when we help each other?  Now then, I believe you've misplaced your princess?" she mocked, running her hand up and down the shaft of her spear.  "Remind me again, what did she look like?" 

"I'm not here to play your games, Megaera," Quatre said.  "If you've done anything to Raye…"

"Fine.  Turn around, you'll see she's in excellent shape," she replied, dissolving in a cloud of smoke.

"You…" came a snarl from behind Quatre.  He whirled around.  Sure enough, there was Raye.

"Raye!  You're all right!" he cried, running toward her.  However, she didn't smile.  Instead, she unleashed a stream of fire at him.

"Stay away from me, bastard," she snapped, preparing another attack.

Quatre blinked.  "Raye…?  What's going on?  What are you doing?"

"Where is he?" Raye demanded.  "You better not have hurt him!"

"Who?" he asked.

"Quatre!" she yelled.  "Give him back!"

Quatre reached out towards her.  "Raye…I'm right here in front of you!  Can't you see me?"

"I told you to stay back!" Raye cried, allowing the rings of fire from her Burning Mandala to singe his shoulders.

"Open your eyes Raye!  It's me!  Quatre!" Quatre exclaimed, dodging her volley of attacks.

"Liar!" she hissed, lunging for him with her bare hands.  He only barely managed to hold her off.

Meanwhile, laughter like nails on a chalkboard rang through his ears.  "Careful.   I think she might kill you," Megaera giggled.

"What are you doing to her?" he cried, pinning her against a tree.

"Me?  What makes you think _I'm_ doing anything?" she smiled, almost helpless with mirth.  "Better fight her off."

"Raye…" Quatre turned his attention back to her.  "I won't hurt you!"

The only response he received was a growl and a sharp kick to his side that sent him sprawling.  However, he didn't get back up, even as Raye stood over him, ready to finish him off.

He just stared up at the dark sky, without even a star.  Tears began to well up in his eyes.

"And this will end it all…" Megaera commented.  "After she sees your blood on her hands, she won't…"

Suddenly, a stream of flame flew into the unsuspecting Megaera's face.  Raye didn't look at the goddess.

"You…will die…for…making…me…do that…" she suddenly shuddered and collapsed next to Quatre.

Summoning his strength, he sat up and gathered her into his arms.  His anguished tears spilled down his cheeks.

"Raye…are you all right?" he whispered.

Her eyelids didn't open as she struggled to speak.  "F-f-forgive me, Q-Quatre.  I love you…"

She went limp.

"No!" Quatre anguished cry was swallowed by his gasp of surprise.  "Raye!"

"Huh.  She deserved it," Megaera snapped bitterly.  "Can I finish the job now?"

Quatre gently lay her down, then stood.  His face was a mask of rage.  "She was right.  You will die for this!"

As he spoke, suddenly a small shard of crystal, about the size of a slice of grapefruit, appeared in front of his chest.  It was pure black, and seemed to pull everything inside of it.

"WHAT?  The Thanatos!  No!  It was destroyed!" Megaera cried in fear.

"Thanatos…" Quatre murmured, then reached for it.  It stretched and curved for a moment, then curved itself into a scimitar-like weapon.  Setting his jaw, he gripped it firmly, then lunged for Megaera.

She held up her arms and tried to cover her head, but failed.  With one sweep, he maimed her of her hands.  Then, as she was about to scream, he swiftly cut off her head [AN:  And this is Quatre!  Scary…].

Her body seemed to explode then, leaving nothing but a cloud of smoke.  Dropping the scimitar, Quatre fell to his knees panting.  Despite everything, he felt a _miniscule_ bit guilty about killing.  But one look at his fallen Firebird quickly chased away all regrets.

He crawled to her on his hands and knees, then collapsed on the ground beside her.  With his last remaining strength, he pulled her close.

Breathing in sweet scent, he closed his eyes.  "I'll be with you shortly, Firebird."

However, after a few moments, he felt a cool hand on his face.  Opening his eyes, he realized that he was no longer alone.  Two women kneeled on either side of Raye and himself.  To his horror, it was Megaera, and her sister Alecto.

"You…" he began.

"Do not let your eyes deceive you.  We are not the Furies," Alecto said.

"You're…not?  Then who are you?" Quatre asked.  Studying them, he realized they were different.  They seemed less cold, less cruel, less everything.

"I am called Duty, and this is my sister Truth.  We are two of the three Forces of Judgment," Megaera explained.  "Once, we were trapped inside the Furies.  But the power of the Thanatos has destroyed them, in turn, freeing us."

"However, you have made the same mistake as your friend, Duo," Truth/Alecto remarked.

"Mistake?" he asked.

"You used the Thanatos without regard for the other living things here.  If you hadn't, your Princess would still be alive," Duty/Megaera answered.  "The Thanatos will draw life from all it can."

"So…Raye is…" Quatre murmured, then looked at her.  Her chest rose, very slowly.

"Quite lucky to have a man like you by her side," Duty replied.  And like that, the Forces of Judgment were gone.

But Quatre barely noticed.  Because the color was returning to Raye's face, and her breathing was getting stronger.  He held her close to him, praying she would make it.  Finally, he felt her hand on his cheek.

"Quatre…please forgive me.  I'm so sorry for what I did," she murmured, her eyes moistening.

"Sh…" he hissed, then allowed her to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him passionately.  And as they did, a single bright star shone in the sky, like their beacon of hope.

*********************************************************************************************

"Where are you, coward?" Wufei muttered as he made his way southward.  The rolling hills of Crystal Tokyo now gave way to sharp, jagged cliffs and bluffs.  Clouds rolled in overhead, a sure sign of the approaching storm.

Suddenly, there was a movement and a glint of light below him.  He narrowed his eyes, and exited the cockpit of Altron.  Drawing his katana, he kept careful track of everything going on around him.  So he was able to dodge the bolts of electricity coming at him from behind.

Falling and rolling back to his feet, he looked around warily for any sign of Nemesis.  "What's the matter, onna?  Are you to afraid to fight outside of your hiding place?" he taunted.

There was a screech as another bolt shot towards him, but it was poorly aimed and he didn't even have to move.  The Goddess of Revenge appeared in front of him, rampant with anger.

"Did you just call me a coward?" she hissed.

Wufei smirked.  "Yes, weakling."

She growled and transformed her arms into a pair of maces.  "And I thought words like that were reserved for your precious Jupiter."

"She's not precious," he muttered.  "She's my ally."

"Heh.  Either way, she's going to die," Nemesis answered, motioning towards one of the cliffs.  A long iron rod jutted out sideways, with Lita hanging by her wrists below it.  It would only take one bolt of lightning from the approaching storm (or Nemesis) to electrocute her.

"You would fight so dishonorably?  It makes me sick," Wufei snarled.

"Me?  Fight without honor?  As if," she snapped.  "She's the one blessed with power.  I'm planning on taking care of her after I do you.  That is, assuming the storm doesn't first."

"Fine then.  I'll fight you.  You may be Goddess of Revenge, but you know nothing of Justice.  And I will be the one to show you!" he yelled, then lunged at her with his katana.

With a rush of air, her arms changed into two similar katanas.  Dancing back and forth around each other, minor slices were delivered on occasion, but nothing more.  Finally, he managed to knock her off her feet with a sweeping kick to her ankles.  She fell to the ground.

"Damn you…" she growled, then her left katana/arm suddenly morphed into an axe.  Swinging it with power, she knocked the katana from Wufei's hand and slit his wrist at the same time.  Using the same kick that had worked on her, she sent him sprawling against the hard cliff wall.

She recovered his katana, then pitched it off the bluff.  Laughing, she stood over him, pressing her right katana/arm against his chest.  "Idiot.  You should know by now that mortals cannot defeat gods.  But you fight well, I'll give you that much."

The same words Lita had used.

_"I swear to God I'll break you of that habit, if it's the last thing I do."_

_"You never were good with names, were you Wufei?"_

_"We will never fall in love…"_

Suddenly, the images were cut off as he heard Nemesis gasp.  Something pushed at his chest, but it wasn't her blade.  No, this was pushing out.  His eyes focused on a shard of ebony crystal floating above his torso.

"The Thanatos?  But I thought…" Nemesis trailed off.

"You thought wrong," Wufei said suddenly, reaching for it.  It lengthened, and changed itself into a katana.

Leaping to his feet, he stood in front of the awed Nemesis.  "Prepare to taste Justice, weakling onna."

She put up a good fight, but now she seemed afraid, and growing weaker.  Finally, a blow delivered to her side made her fall motionless to the ground.

Smirking at her, Wufei glanced up at Lita.  But while figuring out how to cut her down, lightening streaked through the sky.  Before he could do anything, it had hit the rod.

The smell of charred flesh was present, and suddenly Lita fell, her bonds burnt.  Dropping the katana, Wufei reached out to catch her.

"Damn it…Lita?" he asked.  Her hands were burned the worst, and her hair was singed as well.

He set his jaw as he tried to revive her.  "Lita…you'd better not be dead, are you listening?  Because if you are…"

"You'll what?" she coughed, opening her eyes.

"You're…alive?!?!?!" he cried, staring at her in disbelief.

"Duh.  Crap, it feels like a train hit me though.  Everything's sore…" she snapped.

"It'll be better soon," a calm voice replied.  The pair looked up to see two women, Alecto and Megaera.  And yet, it didn't seem quite like them.

"Who the hell are you?" Lita asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I am Duty," Megaera answered.

"And I am called Truth.  We are the Forces of Judgment," Alecto replied.

"Forces of Judgment?  I don't get it," she replied.

"That's all right.  You're alive, and that's the important thing.  Amazing as well.  When your friend Wufei used the Thanatos shard, we were sure it would drain the life out of you like it almost did with the others," Truth explained.

"Others?"

"Quatre and Raye, and Duo and Ami," Duty answered.

"Yes.  But it would appear that your stubbornness and strong will kept total control over the Shard.  That's quite a feat, Wufei," Truth finished.

"…" 

Lita burst into painful giggles.

"But anyways, it would appear that one of Night's daughters is planning on causing trouble," Truth pointed out.  

Duty was on Nemesis in a moment, who was struggling to stand.

"Get out of my way!  I'll kill them both!" she snarled.

"Oh, I don't think so, Nemesis," Duty replied in a deadly low voice.  "Because not even deities can escape Judgment Day."

"Y-you can't kill me!" Nemesis stammered, a hint of fear in her voice.

"No.  We cannot.  We are what waits for you after you die," Truth explained.

"I can't die!" 

"Not as a goddess, no.  But as of now, you are no longer a goddess," Duty said, raising her hands.  

Nemesis paled, and screamed in anguish.

"You shall spend the rest of your days living as a mortal, but with the crimes of a goddess.  And we shall be waiting.  Every day, every hour, _every second_, Nemesis.  We shall be watching and waiting for you to be brought before us," Truth finished, as the two women disappeared.

Nemesis howled again, then scrambled up off into the bluffs, never to be seen again.

"Well, we'd better head back," Lita commented when she was out of sight.

"Yeah," Wufei agreed, letting her lean on him and helping her stand.

As they headed back towards Altron, Lita glanced at her companion.

"Wufei?  Thanks," she said.

"For saving your life?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"It was nothing.

*********************************************************************************************

Heero slowly made his way East, the message Neptune had sent him moments before him running clearly through his mind.

"_Heero, Tisiphone said to go East."_

_"Yeah."_

_"That's the direction most of the city spreads in.  Including…"_

_"What?"_

_"…The Marine Cathedral."_

_"So?"_

_"After the massacre on Earth, we didn't have enough space to bury all the bodies.  The Marine Cathedral has been used as a morgue for the last four or five years.  I have a feeling that's where Tisiphone is keeping Venus."_

_"…"_

_"Be prepared for the worst.  She will show no mercy."_

That was all she had said before the transmission had ended.

Heero knew Tisiphone was probably the most deadly of the Furies.  She could play games with your mind, reading it and rewriting it until it was something alien and unrecognizable.  She had done it to him, and had tried to do it to Mina.

The tall spires of the Marine Cathedral rose up before him.  It looked like it had at one time been beautiful and majestic.  But piles of rotting corpses still surrounded it, spilling out a few of the doors and windows.

Trying not to throw up at the stench of decaying flesh, Heero left Wing Zero and passed around the heaps of people to get in through the door.  Inside, little pathways between blue body bag walls were visible.  Walking down them, he kept his finger on the trigger of his gun.

Suddenly, he began to hear voices.

"Please…let me go," It was Mina.

"You think I'll release you just because you ask?  No, I need you in order to get your lover here," Tisiphone snapped.

"He's not my lover!  He's nothing!  You said so yourself that he doesn't love me, so why would he mean anything to me?" Mina cried.

Setting his jaw, Heero fired around one of the walls.  There was a gasp and a snarl as Tisiphone glared at him.  Mina was nowhere in sight.

"What gave it away?" she hissed sardonically.  "The fact that she said she didn't love you?  So that means you're defensive on that subject."

"Where is she?" Heero asked.

"Venus?  Why do you want to know?  I'm doing her a favor, keeping her from you," Tisiphone snapped.

"I love her,"  he muttered.

"Really?  You tried to kill her, didn't you?  Just because Hecate asked you to?  And you let me get her.  And you didn't put up much of an effort to stop yourself from…"

She cried out again as he fired at her.  However, she just shook off the pain.  "Fine, you want to see her?  Here she is."

There was a rumble as a wave seemed to move from a pile of unsealed carcasses.  Suddenly, something burst through the surface, sending the bodies everywhere.  It was Mina, vines holding her arms spread and binding her legs together.  Her head hung limp on her chest.

There was nothing for Heero to say at the sight of her.  She was bruised and blood was dried on her face and stomach.  In fact, she didn't look much more alive than any of the other dead people.

"Oh yes, she is dead.  I killed her thoroughly, if I do say so myself.  I'll probably do the same to you, but not before I torture you first," she said.

"You won't get the chance," Heero growled, lunging at her barehanded.

This was not what she expected.  He tackled her, then fastened his hands around her neck.  Only with a tremendous force was she able to push him off.  While he lay on the ground, more vines burst through the floor, and twisted around his neck, chest, wrists, and ankles.  Then, they began to squeeze.

"You should've died a long time ago.  For all the heartache you've caused.  Whether by killing or rejecting or being indecisive.  Did you ever once think of the families of the soldiers you killed?  Did you think of Relena, spurning her devotion and affection?  Or Venus, who still loved you despite it all, and yet you toyed with her heart and emotions?" Tisiphone snarled.

Heero couldn't speak.  He felt lightheaded for lack of air, and his chest was burning.  But then, he felt a strange pressure pushing outwards from his chest, and suddenly it all went away.  The vines released him, and he could breathe again.  He felt like he was laying there on the ground for hours, until Tisiphone spoke.

"The Thanatos.  Huh.  There's all the proof necessary.  You're a black-hearted monster.  I cannot let you live!" she screamed.

Heero suddenly grabbed the shard, as it transformed into a long sword.  But before he could attack the goddess in front of him, a low voice made him freeze.

"Both of you, stop it right there," it commanded.  Neither Heero nor Tisiphone could resist.

"I'm glad we aren't to late.  With all the Dead Energy here, the Thanatos shard would be able to destroy everything," another voice commented.

Heero turned to see Alecto and Megaera standing in one of the passageways.  Except, something was different about them.  They were both dressed in plain white dresses, with naked swords hung on chains around their belts.

"Sisters?  What's going on?" Tisiphone asked.

"We are not your sisters, Tisiphone," Alecto said.

"Alecto and Megaera are destroyed.  We are the Forces of Judgment, Truth and Duty.  As for your other sister, Nemesis, she has gone far away.  Most likely, never to return," Megaera/Duty explained.

"Destroyed?  WHAT DO YOU MEAN DESTROYED?!?!?" Tisiphone howled.

"The face the same fate you shall.  The anger, jealousy, and heartache represented by the Furies is being replaced by the Forces of Judgment.  And it is from you, the last shall be drawn," Alecto said.

The two women raised their swords and swiftly attacked Tisiphone.  Heero just barely managed to dart out of the way.  

She put up a tremendous struggle.  Smashing Truth to the far wall, she pushed past Duty and lunged for Heero.

"If I go, he goes as well!" she shrieked.  

"Never," Heero answered, jamming the sword into her shoulder.

The goddess screamed and crumpled as the Forces rushed to her side.  She glared up at him.  "Venus could never be happy with you!" she cursed.

There was a flash of light, then Duty and Truth stepped away, revealing the new Tisiphone.

She was dressed the same as them, but rather than holding swords, she held scales.  Her face was calm now, and peaceful.

"I thank you, for releasing me from the last Fury.  And to you, Heero," she said, turning to him.  "If it weren't for you, Tisiphone's anger would've overridden all of our attempts to destroy her."

Heero could only nod, then dropped the sword as he looked at Mina, laying on the marble floor.  He gathered her broken body and held it to his chest.

The Forces looked at each other.  "Heero, forgive us.  We could not have prevented this.  There was simply no time," Truth apologized.

"And I fear there's nothing we can do now," Duty added.

He took a deep breath.  "I wish…she had known."

"Known what?  What you felt for her?" Tisiphone asked, kneeling down next to him.  "Heero, of course she knew.  Why else would she have fought so hard to keep living?  She had someone to live for.  She still does."

With that, the blood spots and bruises began to disappear.  Mina began to stir.

Heero's eyes widened.  "Mina…?"

He looked up at the Forces, who were fading quickly.  "Who are you?" he whispered.

"I am called Faith.  I am the greatest Force of Judgment you could ever face," Tisiphone replied, then they were gone.

"Heero?" Mina asked, struggling to sit up.  "What happened?  Where—"

"Mina…" he closed his eyes and pressed his face into her shoulder.

Sensing the raging emotion within him, it was all she could do to hold him close and stroke his hair, saying his name and "I love you" over and over again.

*********************************************************************************************

Trowa silently stalked across the sprawling palace grounds in search of his opponent.  He had been receiving periodic messages from Uranus.  

_"You shouldn't have to face that bitch alone."_

_"…"_

_"That's all you can say?"_

_"…"_

_"Fine then.  I don't get you like Trista does.  But don't get yourself killed.  I don't want to be the one to tell her."_

_"…We're coming back alive.  Both of us."_

_"I hope so."_

Silently, Trowa prayed that Trista was all right.  Everything he felt from her had died suddenly, and he didn't want to think that something had happened to her.  He, like his comrades, swore to himself that his prey, Night, would be dead by the end of their battle.

Just then, he saw something on the ground ahead.  He narrowed his eyes momentarily, thinking it was the demon.  But no, it was an old man…

"Chronos?" he murmured.  The old man nodded, then rose up until he was level with the cockpit.  Trowa stepped out warily.

"Trowa Barton.  You are searching for my daughter, Pluto," Chronos said.

He nodded.  "You've been watching?"

"For far longer than you think.  I know what has happened, what Night and her daughters have done.  You will be pleased to know that they no longer pose a threat to any of you," Chronos paused.  "Night herself…"

"I won't let her do anything to Trista," Trowa said firmly.

"…You do understand the grudge she holds?  The Sailor Senshi killed her children, one by one.  Night is convinced my daughter is the one who planned it all.  As far as she is concerned, death is too good for Pluto," Chronos said.

Then, he reached out and touched Trowa's shoulder.  "You are her last hope.  I am not one to place my faith in the hearts of mortals.  And yet, I can feel the devotion between Pluto and yourself.  It has awakened strength in both of you."

"…"

"She still lives, Trowa.  Night's day of judgment has arrived," Chronos finished, then vanished as mysteriously as he had appeared.

"Night's day of judgment?" he mused, then felt a strong wind from behind him.  Staring directly ahead, he saw an enormous black crystal spike jutting out from the ground.  Around the top, a huge silver chain was wound, securing the limp figure of a woman to the shiny stone.

Clenching his fists, he moved towards it, Heavyarms' weight shaking the ground.  However, the spike didn't vibrate even the tiniest bit.

"So, you've come to claim her, finally?" Night's bitter voice snapped as she stood on the tip of the spike.

"Not before I send you back to hell," he muttered.  He considered aiming for her that moment, but if he did, he'd shatter the spike, the chain would slip and Trista would be crushed.

"Dangerous words for someone so strong and silent," she countered.  Suddenly, she raised her hands.  "Screech of Morrigun!" 

she called.  Black smoke suddenly encircled Heavyarms.

There was a crackling, and Trowa realized what was happening just in time.  He managed to get out just in time to see the entire Gundam covered by the same black glass that the spike was made of.

"Only a demonstration of the fate that awaits you, boy!" Night shouted, leaping off the spike and landing in front of him.

His reflexes taking over, Trowa sent a powerful kick into her stomach.  She gasped as she flew backwards, but quickly recovered  and delivered a deadly blow to his neck.  But before she could hit him, he'd jumped up into the air and landed on the top of the spike.

"Coward…you won't stand and fight?  Very well then," Night snarled, then cupped her hands.  A stream of indigo light shot towards him.  He barely managed to duck out of the way.  However, he wasn't as lucky on her second shot.  The stream of light hit his ankle, causing him to fall.  

He landed flat on his back next to the crystal, and within a moment Night was standing above him, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Your determination is amazing, boy.  All for the love of _her_?" she asked incredulously, glancing up at Trista.  "There are many things worth dying for.  But she's not one of them."

"…"

"Heh.  Silent to the bone.  DIE!" she screeched, then unleashed the stream of light.

It was at that moment that Trowa rolled to the side.  The light reflected backwards off the crystal and hit the crystal-covered Gundam.  Penetrating to the metal, there was a rumble and the sound of glass shattering as Heavyarms burst into flame.

Night screamed as the flaming mobile suit suddenly fell forward, colliding with the crystal spike.  The shattering sounded again, and Trowa pressed his face to the ground as the shards suddenly began to fall.  He bit his lip as he felt them scratch his back and shoulders.  Night's screaming was cut off abruptly.

When the rain of shards ended, Trowa slowly rose, brushing off the thin blanket of glass that had fallen onto him.  A few feet away, Trista lay half trapped under the chain.

He quickly moved to her, then moved the chain, which was surprisingly light.  However, the shards had scratched Trista's face, arms, legs, neck, and everywhere else.  She was starting to bleed profusely, and her breathing was ragged and shallow.

"Trista…" he called softly, gently caressing her cheek.  The same thought kept running through his head.  _She's immortal, she can't be dead…she's immortal, she can't be dead…_She didn't stir, but he could feel her heart beating weakly in her chest.

Calling her name over and over her breathing started to become more regular.  She was almost covered in blood now, except for her face, which he managed to wipe clean.  Finally, her maroon orbs focused opened, and focused on him.

"Trowa…how is my father?" she smiled weakly.

He didn't answer, but kissed her passionately.  Clinging desperately to each other, they didn't notice the bloody hand rising up through the shards.

Night climbed out, shaking.  "I'll get them yet…just watch…"

"No, I don't think so, Night."  A cold voice responded.

She turned to see her three daughters, the Furies, standing before her.  She smiled brightly.  "My children…come, let us defeat them together."

"We are not your children, Night," Truth answered.

"The Furies are dead.  We are the Forces of Judgment.  Truth, Duty, and Faith," Duty explained.

"What?  What are you talking about?" Night cried.

"She means exactly what she says.  And upon your death, Night the Destroyer, your Judgment has begun," Faith replied.

"Death?  I'm not dead, you fools!  Look!" she exclaimed, waving her arms.

"Do not avoid the truth, Night.  The divine spells you meant to kill the Goddess of the Gates of Time in turn ended your life.  And now you shall face the crimes of your existence," Duty said.

"NO!  THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!  SHE MUST BE DEAD!  I'M ALIVE, I TELL YOU!  ALIVE!" Night screamed, turning towards the couple that was yet to acknowledge her.

"Then you leave us no choice…" Faith murmured.

The three sisters raised their arms.  There was a flash of light, then suddenly, Night was gone.  

Trowa and Trista suddenly looked towards the direction of a bright flash of light.  Three women that looked remarkably like the Furies stood staring at them.

"Forces of Judgment," Trista murmured as Trowa helped her stand.

Faith reached forwards and touched them both, healing their wounds.  "You still recognize us, Pluto, daughter of Chronos?"

"I do.  Was it you that protected Trowa during his battle?" she asked.

"No.  That was your father, who held the both of you in his hand," Duty explained.

"All we did was send Night to await her Fate.  She will trouble you no further," Truth finished.

The three turned to leave.  Suddenly, Duty bent down and picked up one of the larger shards of glass.  Smiling slightly, she handed it to Trowa.

"This must be yours, Thanatos Shard-bearer," she replied, as both women and shard vanished.

**********************************************************************************************

WHOA!  THAT WAS LONG!  *pant pant*  Now you know why it took me a few weeks to update!  R+R+R!


	17. Premonition

The Other Side of Paradise

Part:  17

Author:  Nyneve

IT'S A MIRACLE!  I LIVE!  *nervous laugh*  Uh, yeah.  Hope you guys didn't think I ran off and forgot or anything.  Cause I didn't.  Hope you're all well, and that you won't strike me dead for not updating.  I'm really really really sorry.  It's just that I've been working on more original stuff lately, and the ficcies kind of…um…dropped by the wayside, shall we say?  Well, I'm sure you haven't missed my ramblings, but the stories themselves, so I leave you now to our thrilling climax.  Don't own the anime.

-Nyneve

************************************************************************__

"You doin' okay, Ames?" Duo asked.  Amy sat on Deathscythe's shoulder, her visor lowered to communicate.

"It's a little rough, but I'll be all right.  I can see the palace from here.  At least it's still in one piece," she commented.

"Yeah, I hope Saturn and Janus are safe," he answered.

"What about Neptune and Uranus?"

"…I'm still mad at them."

Amy couldn't help but burst into hysterical laughter.  But inside, she still felt more than a little worried.  Serenity was in Hecate's clutches, and neither of them had heard from the other Senshi or the pilots.  And above it all, the lingering darkness of Endymion and Rini's deaths made everything dark.

"Ames?"

"Sorry.  What?" she asked, shaking her head.

"I just got a transmission from Wufei.  He and Lita are safe," Duo said.

"Oh thank god.  What about Nemesis?" Amy asked.

"Apparently, Truth and some other chick named Duty showed up and turned her mortal.  She was so horrified she ran off into the hills," he explained.

"Duty?  Hm…hey!  What's that noise?"  she cried suddenly.

"We've got another Gundam out here…Quatre!" Duo exclaimed.

"Raye!"

_What?_ Amy heard her friend's voice in her head as Sandrock appeared out of nowhere.

The two mobile suits met and the pilots climbed out.  Duo helped Amy off Deathscythe's shoulder, while Quatre gave Raye a hand in climbing up from the ground where she had been running at an amazing speed.

"You're okay!  I was so worried!" Amy gasped, hugging her friend.

"Me too.  I wouldn't have made it back if it weren't for Quatre," Raye commented, beaming at him.

"Ah, in Heero's words, 'Mission…Accomplished'," Duo grinned, clapping his comrade on the back.

"Speaking of Heero, have you heard from him?  Raye received a message from Trista before.  She and Trowa are both all right," Quatre said.

Duo shook his head.  "No, just got a transmission from Wufei."

The four looked at each other.

"I hope Heero and Mina are okay…" Raye murmured.

"Hey, neither of them go down that easy.  Don't worry," Quatre replied, putting his arm around her.

"Well, why don't we get back to the palace as soon as possible?  That's where Wufei said he and Lita were gonna meet up with us.  Trowa and Trista will probably be there.  Heero and Mina too," Duo suggested.

"Yes but…maybe it would be best if Raye and I teleported ahead to the palace…just to check things out," Amy said.

"No way.  I'm not risking losing you again!" Duo cried.

Quatre nodded in agreement.  "Just the two of you would be too dangerous."

"More dangerous than arriving to find an ambush?  At least let us go check.  We'll come right back," Raye said.

Duo and Quatre looked at each other.  Neither one wanted to take the chance that Raye and Amy would be caught unawares.

Raye reached out and touched Quatre's chest gently.  "I promise we'll be careful.  It'll only be five minutes.  Anything more than that…expect trouble when you get there."

Before either man could protest, the women were gone.

*********************************************************************************************

"Come on, admit it!  You'd have missed me if I was gone!" Lita smiled as she and Wufei slowly made their way back to the palace on foot.  After a fifteen minute argument, it was concluded that Lita was hurt too badly to simply ride on the outside of Altron, or to walk alongside.  So, after sending a transmission to Duo, Wufei had hidden his Gundam and was supporting Lita on the long hike back to the palace.

"…Aren't you supposed to be in agony?" Wufei countered.

"Hey, you're the one who insisted on going back on foot.  I could just teleport us there, you know," she replied.

Wufei rolled his eyes.  "I think you neglected to mention that."

She shrugged.  "Hey, I got zapped by a thousand volts of electricity.  Give me credit that I'm still able to annoy you."

Lita let go of him and leaned against a tree while she pulled out her henshin pen.  As Wufei reached out to support her, she raised it over her head.  There was a flash of light, and they were gone.

When they reappeared in a dark hallway, Lita's arm went limp and she dropped her pen.

"Okay, that was harder than I thought…" she murmured, and passed out.  

Cursing under his breath, Wufei laid her down on the ground.  Checking her pulse and her breathing, he realized there was nothing he could do but wait for her to come around.  He didn't dare leave her alone.  

A few minutes later, she still wasn't conscious.  However, was starting to sense movement…from somewhere else.  Slowly, he stood up and positioned himself in front of Lita.  Narrowing his eyes, he took a fighting stance.  It was coming closer.

Suddenly, there was a scream, and he saw the flash of a blade in front of him.  The Thanatos katana materialized in his hand, and he managed to block the blow.  Then he realized who he was fighting.

"Hotaru?" he asked.

"Wufei!  Lita!  Thank God," she cried, lowering her glaive quickly.  "Janus!  It's all right, it's Lita and Wufei!"

The boy darted out of the shadows, a look of pure relief on his face.  "We thought you might be Night or one of the others…but where's everyone else?" 

"If you'll hold that thought," Hotaru said, then knelt down to take a look at Lita.  She gently touched her forehead, and a bright light flashed throughout the hallway.  When it cleared, Lita's burns were healed, and she opened her eyes.

"Whoa…Hotaru!  Did you just heal me?  Thanks!" she cried, sitting up.

"I'm glad you're all right.  What happened to you?"

So, bit by bit, the story was told, alternating between Wufei and Lita's narration.  About Hecate's threat, Serenity and the other senshi's abduction, and the fight with Nemesis.

"You left out something," Janus said when they had finished.  He pointed to Wufei's blade.  "What is that?"

Lita turned to look at him.  "Yeah, I was going to ask that.  That was the katana you used to defeat Nemesis, wasn't it?"

Wufei nodded.  "It's my Thanatos shard.  Normally, it would've started sucking the life out of everything…but I've managed to keep it under control."

She stared at him.  "Why don't I find that surprising?"

He narrowed his eyes and cursed her under his breath, then turned to Hotaru and Janus.  "Have either of you seen any sign of Neptune and Uranus?  They said they were going to look for you."

Hotaru shook her head.  "No, nothing."

"We'd better see if we can find them.  If anyone _is _in here that shouldn't be, they're going to need some help," Lita said.  The others nodded in agreement, and they headed down the hallway.

*********************************************************************************************

"…Are you all right?" the ivy-haired woman asked her companion, glancing sideways at him.

Trowa didn't answer, but reached out for her hand as they walked towards the Palace.  With Heavyarms destroyed and Trista too weak to teleport them, they had to try and make it back on foot.  Luckily, they were only a mile or so away.  But still, it was difficult for them both.  Trista had to use a fairly large amount of energy to send a message to Raye, and was tiring quickly.  Luckily, Trowa was always there to catch her when she stumbled.

"We're almost there," he commented, pausing to scan the area.  There was no sign of any danger…

Suddenly, two figures dropped down from a tree a few yards away.  Bracing themselves for an attack, Trista and Trowa stood back to back in defensive stance.  However, there was no need as they recognized the figures.

"Uranus…Neptune…" Trista sighed in relief.  "Thank God."

"Pluto," Uranus caught her by the shoulders.  "What the hell happened to you two?"

"It's a long story.  But we don't have to worry about Night anymore," Trowa answered.

Neptune closed her eyes.  "That's good to hear.  But we still haven't found Hotaru and Janus."

"I'm sure they're all right.  It doesn't look like Hecate's been here," he said.

Uranus barked out a short, contemptuous laugh.  "She wouldn't dare take a break from tormenting Serenity to kill her son.  Ow!"

Neptune glared at her as Uranus rubbed the spot on her arm where she'd been punched.

"Guys…not now…" Trista pleaded.

"Yeah, you're right.  I'm sorry.  Come on, we'd better get you guys back inside.  We'll teleport you, all right?" Uranus said, giving Trista back to Trowa and taking a hold of his shoulder.

The four huddled together, then in a flash of light, appeared in the throne room.

Before anyone could say anything, they heard a familiar voice call out.  "Mars, look!"

Mars spun around at Mercury's call and gasped as Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Trowa materialized in front of them.

"Mercury?  Mars?" Trista blinked in surprise.  "How did you guys get here?  Where's Quatre and Duo?"

"We teleported, same as you.  Don't worry, the guys are safe.  Is everything all right?"  Mars asked.

"For the most part.  Any sign of anyone else?" Trowa glanced around.

"Duo received a transmission for Wufei saying he and Lita were coming here on foot.  We don't know about Mina or Heero," Mercury answered quietly.

"Janus and Hotaru?" Neptune pressed.  The two girls shook their heads.

"Damn it…" Uranus swore as she detransformed.  The other senshi, save Mars, followed suit.

"I'm going to go back and let Duo and Quatre know what's going on.  I'll come back on foot with them.  Amy, maybe you'd better make sure Trowa and Trista aren't hurt too bad," she suggested.

"Stay here though.  Michelle and I will search the palace for any sign of the others.  Let us know when Lita and Wufei get here," Amara said, heading off down the main hall.

"All right, see you in a bit," Mars finished, vanishing.

**********************************************************************************************

Mina and Heero slowly made their way westward through the deserted streets of Crystal Tokyo.  Although she had been dead only hours before, Mina's resurrection had left her feeling strong and revitalized.  The same could not be said for Heero.  Which explained why it was he who leaned on her shoulder for support.

"We're going to make it Heero, I promise," Mina whispered every few minutes when they stopped to rest.  Heero had not said one word to her since they were out of the dreaded Marine Cathedral.  But then again, she didn't expect him to.

Now, they were almost at the palace gates, only about 700 yards or so away.  Heero did not even seem to be conscious anymore.  Mina stopped and nudged him gently.  After a few moments, he opened his eyes.

"We'd better quit for a few minutes.  You've gotta be tired," she murmured.

He said nothing, but knelt on the ground next to her.  Wishing she had healing abilities like Serenity or Hotaru, Mina placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  He subconsciously reached up and held it there.

Suddenly, Mina blinked and heard a scream.  A split second vision passed before her eyes, almost too fast and short to be noticeable.  But the scene was too horrible to ignore.  She saw Serenity, her crystal casing shattered, laying bloody on the floor of a cave.

"We'd better hurry," Heero said suddenly, standing up.  He too had witnessed the vision, but somehow he had become accustomed to Hecate's nightmarish mental images.

"Heero?" Mina asked, half out of fear and half out of surprise at his sudden regain of energy.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand and breaking off at a run.

The two made their way past the ruined palace gates and inside the giant crystal structure.  Mina was about to call out her friends' names, but Heero placed a hand over her mouth and silently pulled out yet another gun.  Motioning for her to follow him, the two stealthily made their way towards the throne room.  A light was on inside it.

"On three," Heero whispered.  "One…two…"

"There you guys are!  Do you have any idea how worried we've been about you?" Lita asked, stepping out from behind a pillar.  She, Wufei, Janus, and Hotaru had met up with Amara and Michelle about a half hour before Raye returned with Duo and Quatre.

"Lita, you're okay!" Mina cried, hugging her friend.

"Yeah, Hotaru took care of me.  Amy's handling the lesser injuries in there," she answered, motioning towards the throne room.  She scanned up and down Heero, who looked like he had been to hell and back.

"Um…maybe you'd better let Hotaru handle him," she whispered to Mina.

"I'm fine," Heero answered, then moved into the throne room.

The others were seated in chair off to the side, talking.

"Hey, look who finally decided to show!" Duo grinned, bounding over and slapping Heero on the back.  "So, how'd things go?"

Heero shot him a death glare and said nothing.

Mina suddenly remembered the vision.  "You guys, we don't have time for this.  Serenity is in serious danger!"

"No kidding," Raye muttered, then quieted as Quatre stared at her quizzically.  She was amazed at his ability to control her without realizing it.

"I mean, I saw it.  Her.  I saw Hecate break the Silver Crystal.  Serenity's on her own now," Mina cried.

"Are you serious?" Lita exclaimed.

"We'd better get over there…" Duo agreed.

Quatre held up his hand.  "Wait a minute everyone.  Rushing over there in a blind panic isn't going to help.  We have to have a plan."

Michelle nodded.  "He's right.  Hotaru and Janus will stay here and—"

"No," Janus said, speaking for the first time.  "I'm not going to stay behind while the rest of you fight my mother."

"Aw come on kid.  Just hang here for a few hours.  We'll be back before you know it!" Lita grinned, ruffling his hair.

Janus glared at her.  "Stop treating me like a child!  If you want any proof of my strength, just ask any of the Gundam Pilots."

Eight pairs of eyes moved towards the group of young men.

Duo bit his lip.  "Well…if anyone can stand up to Hecate, I gotta admit, the kid's probably the one to do it."

"And he knows his way around the temple," Wufei added.

"So then it's decided.  Janus is coming with," Trista said finally.

Hotaru glanced at the rest curiously.  "Do you want me to come, or should I stay and guard the castle?"

"Normally I'd say join the party, Hotaru-chan, but…" Amara clapped a hand on her shoulder.  "I think you'd better stay here and keep your eyes on things.  If we need your help, we'll send someone to get you, all right?"

"I understand," she nodded.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Duo asked.  "Come on, let's go save Serenity!"

The others nodded in agreement, then headed for the gates.

**********************************************************************************************

Well, how's that y'all?  Good for my return to the fan fiction community?  R+R+R!


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